By Shannon Lukens.
There were three attempted thefts of large amounts of fuel in Northwest Colorado in December. Two of the alleged suspects are still in the Routt County Jail, one suspect has bonded out of the Moffat County Jail, and another is in custody of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Aurora. Here’s an update on where the cases stand.
Victoriano Cayetano-Leon was arrested Dec. 13
Cayetano-Leon was arrested on Dec. 13 in Routt County, for allegedly stealing gas also from the Pilot Gas Station on 13th Street. He was charged on two counts of theft of $2-5K, 3rd degree burglary and driving under restraint.
Cayetano-Leon is in ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody pending deportation to Mexico. He is at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora. The 14th Judicial District Attorney’s office says there is also an active warrant out for this arrest if he is released by ICE, or if he was deported and tries to return to Colorado or the United States.
Dec. 15, 2024 — Northwest Colorado News for Monday, Dec. 16, 2024
David Caboverde was arrested on Dec. 5
Caboverde was allegedly involved in a large theft of fuel taken from the Pilot gas station on 13th street. His charges are Theft of between $20-100K, two Counts of 3rd Degree Burglary, and two counts of Theft $5k-$20k. Caboverde has a Status Conference at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, in Routt County Courtroom 1A.
Osnel Perez Palacio was arrested Dec. 5
Perez Palacio was allegedly involved in a large theft of fuel taken from the Pilot gas station, as well. His charges are two counts of Theft $5,000-$20,000, 3rd Degree Burglary, Possession of a False Driver’s License, No Commercial Driver’s License, Expired License Plates.
Steamboat Springs Police Commander Rich Brown says Perez Pallacio allegedly gave a fictitious ID.
Perez Palacio has a Preliminary Hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 10, in Routt County Courtroom 1A.
Dec. 7, 2024 — Large theft of fuel results in arrests of two men
Geomar Gregory Gomez-Hernandez was arrested Dec. 26
Gomez-Hernandez was allegedly involved in a fuel theft at Maverick Gas at 700 E. Victory Way in Craig. There was a pursuit and the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office says two of their vehicles were damaged and three deputies received minor injuries.
Gomez-Hernandez was arrested on Dec. 26. Moffat County Sheriff KC Hume says Gomez-Hernandez bonded out of the Moffat County Jail on Jan. 26. Bond was $150K on local charges and $5K on an arrest warrant from Adams County.
His charges are: two counts of 2nd Degree Assault, two counts of 2nd Degree assault peace officer, Vehicular Eluding, Criminal Mischief $5k-$20k, Theft $1k-$2k, 3rd Degree Burglary, Burglary Tools Possession, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Fictitious Plates, Driving Under Restraint. There is a charge in a separate case of possession of a controlled substance.
Gomez-Hernandez has a court date at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, for a Plea Hearing and Preliminary Hearing in Moffat County Courtroom B.
Moffat County Sheriff KC Hume writes on Wednesday, Jan. 28, “No Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents have been to our facility recently.”
Here is more on what happened, from the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office.
Photos courtesy Moffat County Sheriff’s Office
From the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office; Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®:
— THREE DEPUTIES INJURED, SUSPECT APPREHENDED, AFTER PURSUIT OF FUEL THEFT SUSPECT
On Thursday, December 26, 2024, at approximately 11 a.m., the Craig Police Department was dispatched to the Maverick Gas Station at 700 E Victory Way, Craig, CO 81625, in response to an ongoing fuel theft. While en route, an officer from the Craig Police Department spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop near the intersection of Victory Way and Moffat County Road 7. The vehicle, a white Ford pickup truck, failed to yield, prompting the officer to disengage.
The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office then attempted to stop the vehicle. However, the suspect continued to evade authorities, leading to deputies initiating a pursuit on Moffat County Road 7 near the Shadow Mountain subdivision. Throughout the pursuit, the driver, later identified as Geomar Gomez-Hernandez, displayed reckless driving behavior, traveling in the wrong lane, exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 MPH, and forcing other drivers off the road. His actions posed a serious risk to both the public and law enforcement officers.
The pursuit continued on Moffat County Road 7, onto Moffat County Road 3, and then to Highway 13. On Highway 13, Geomar lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch. Deputies attempted to perform a high-risk traffic stop, but Geomar continued to flee. In the process, he reversed his vehicle, sideswiping one patrol car and crashing into another, disabling it. Despite the collision, Geomar regained control and continued the pursuit on Highway 13.
The pursuit ultimately ended on Highway 13 near Moffat County Road 101, where deputies conducted a high-risk traffic stop and apprehended Geomar.
Geomar was transported to a medical facility for precautionary care before being booked into the Moffat County Jail on multiple charges.
Three Moffat County Sheriff’s deputies sustained minor injuries during the pursuit and have since been released from medical care.
The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado State Patrol Regional Communication Center, the Memorial Regional Hospital EMS, and the Craig Police Department for their invaluable assistance and support.
Geomar Criminal Charges Two Counts of First Degree Assault on a Peace Officer – Class 3 Felony Vehicular Eluding (Causing Injury) – Class 4 Felony Resisting Arrest – Class 2 Misdemeanor Theft Criminal Mischief – Felony Reckless Endangerment – Class 2 Misdemeanor Reckless Driving – Class 2 Traffic Misdemeanor The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office requests that if you were one of the vehicles forced off the road by the suspect during this pursuit, you contact non-emergency dispatch and ask to speak with a deputy, reference case S2400999.
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://crimewatch.net/us/co/moffat/sheriff/153578/incidents/three-deputies-injured-suspect-apprehended-after-pursuit-fuel-theft-suspect