The World Journal
Your best source for news in Huerfano | Las Animas | Colfax
by E.E.Mullens
WALSENBURG — Home surveillance technology not available just a decade ago helped catch an alleged burglar in the act, and old-fashioned empathy and out-of-the-box thinking helped bring temporary comfort to a young family stranded in Walsenburg over the weekend.
Home security surveillance systems are good protection against burglars and may, in many cases, identify someone taking part in criminal activity at a person’s home even if the witness is hundreds of miles away. Just ask CR 346 resident Ryan Harris.
At 3:44 p.m. Sat., June 29, Huerfano County emergency dispatch received a call from Harris, who was at the time in Wyoming, reporting that a burglary was in progress at his home. Harris, Undersheriff Milan Rapo said earlier this week, expressed concern with the burglary as there were firearms in the home.
HCSO Lt. Pacheco along with another deputy were sent to the scene, arriving 12 minutes later. The sheriff’s deputies found a window in a back door smashed and the door unlocked. Harris had kept dispatch aware of what he was seeing through the video surveillance he was watching live on his phone. Harris provided a live description of the man he could see walking around his home. The deputies found the man inside and detained him.
A review of the video showed the man inside the home disrobing and putting on clothing belonging to the homeowner. While patting down the suspected burglar, deputies found a Subaru vehicle ignition key. It would be learned later that Colorado State Patrol troopers had found a Subaru disabled on U.S. 160, near CR 346 which leads into and beyond the Mutual neighborhood where Harris’ home is located.
Jose Aguilar-Renteria, 34, of Chihuahua, Mexico was arrested and charged with three felonies; second degree burglary, first degree criminal trespass, criminal mischief (damage between $1,000-$5,000) and a misdemeanor count of theft (between $750-$2,000).
The deputies noted they had observed a number of items stacked together near a doorway which was believed to be some of the items Aguilar-Renteria allegedly planned to steal. Evidence was collected and the suspect was booked into the county jail Saturday.
On Sunday, Harris returned to Huerfano County, providing
video surveillance evidence, his statement and his identification of his property.
Interagency Cooperation helps family:
Not everything in police work is high speed chases and taking the bad guys into custody. Sometimes a situation proves itself to be true to the slogan “to protect and serve”. This played out earlier this week in Walsenburg when Captain Craig Lessar and Deputy Trevon Perry were dispatched to the Budget Host Motel on Hwy. 85/87 on the north side of the city to investigate a report of a vehicle and travel trailer parked illegally on the property. When the pair of law enforcers arrived, the vehicle had already left the area. But, later in the day, a call came into dispatch reporting the same vehicle was now at City Park.
According to Undersheriff Rapo and Captain Bill LaPorte, both of whom spoke to the World Journal Tuesday, Capt. Lessar and Deputy Perry found a woman in her 30s, along with her child who is 11 years old in the trailer which was dilapidated and missing its exterior door. The pair were without funds or a home, and were in pretty bad shape according to the sheriff’s officers.
Lessar got on the phone to Huerfano County’s Department of Human Services seeking some helpful intervention. Case workers sprang into action obtaining necessary information from the woman and her boyfriend, who was contacted by deputies as well. They found both were employed here in Walsenburg at a restaurant, however they had come from New Mexico and were ill prepared to set up housekeeping in a new community.
Captain LaPorte said Lessar and Perry first got the child some lunch and then worked with DHS staff to help find some relief for the little family. The sheriff’s office did not identify the two adults and child by name.
Undersheriff Rapo said Lessar’s action exemplifies out-of-the-box thinking and shows law enforcement’s mission does include helping to solve problems without entanglement of the formal criminal justice system.
Rapo said this week that DHS has been able to provide at least a month’s worth of food and 30 days of temporary housing for the family trio. Huerfano County DHS will continue to follow up on the family’s progress as they settle into a new life in Our World.
Huerfano Jail Roster:
As of July 2, 2024 there were 18 individuals in detention in the Huerfano County Jail, including:
• Justin A. Pacheco, 33, of Walsenburg who was booked on July 1 and charged with two misdemeanors; violation of a protection order and harassment-strike – shove or kick.
• Alexis Steele, 18, of Walsenburg was arrested June 30 and initially charged with harassment-obscene language and threats, domestic violence, disorderly conduct and a single petty offense count of criminal attempt.
• Daniel Trujillo, 23, of Trinidad was arrested June 30 and charged with domestic violence and harassment strike-shove-kick.
• Jose A. Renteria, 34, of Mexico, was arrested June 29 and charged with second degree burglary, first degree criminal trespass and criminal mischief ($1,000-$5,000).
• Nanda G. Ranes, 55, of La Veta was arrested June 26 and charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance (class four felony), possession of drug paraphernalia (class one petty offense), first degree criminal trespass (class five felony) and second degree burglary (class four felony).
NOTE: Arrest charges may be changed or dropped as a criminal investigation progresses. The district attorney is the only person to decide which, if any, criminal charges will be pursued through the court system.
All persons arrested are to be presumed innocent unless later proven guilty in a court of law.
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PO Box 346
Walsenburg CO 81089
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