YOUR AD HERE »

Ramirez sentenced to intensive probation after pleading guilty to felony menacing

Pete FowlerPost Independent StaffGlenwood Springs, CO Colorado

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. One of two men arrested and later released from jail for lack of evidence in a police officer shooting was sentenced to two years of probation Friday for pleading guilty to felony menacing in an unrelated case.Sergio Esteban Ramirez, 20, was sentenced to intensive supervised probation, and also must complete 60 hours of community service. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon, according to the Garfield County Combined Courts office. The 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office had originally filed two charges of first-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, two charges of criminal mischief and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft in addition to the felony menacing charge.Ramirez and other defendants were accused in a case that involved use of a club in an attack on someone in the Rifle City Market parking lot. Authorities also said they stole a Ford F150 pickup truck, went four-wheeling with it until crashing into a rock near Rifle, and stole a Ford Mustang, driving it off-road until it became stuck.The second officer shooting suspect who was released for lack of evidence, Mauricio Villa Garcia Peña, 20, also entered a guilty plea in the joy-riding case.Ramirez and Garcia Peña were arrested the first week of August and held as suspects in an officer shooting for about 212 weeks. Authorities released the pair, saying there was not sufficient evidence to file charges and that it was a strategic decision to buy more time for investigation outside the constraints of the courts. A defense attorney and the suspects’ family members questioned the explanation and believe authorities arrested the wrong men. The police officer was shot while investigating suspicious activity on July 29 at an impound lot near the Glenwood Springs Airport. He suffered only minor injuries due to a bulletproof vest.No additional arrests have been made in the officer shooting and there has been no public explanation on the details of why authorities arrested who they did. Search warrants and arrest affidavits in the case were also sealed, authorities said, to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation.Contact Pete Fowler: 945-8515, ext. 16611 pfowler@postindependent.comPost Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.