Staff Reports
DRIVING A STOLEN VEHICLE DRUNK
Gallup, July 8
A Phoenix man is facing multiple charges after he reportedly stole a car and drove it while intoxicated.
On July 8, around 6:15 pm, Gallup Police Officer Ryan Boucher was dispatched to a house in the 300 block of Cactus Road after a woman called Metro Dispatch and reported her car stolen.
When Boucher arrived at the scene, he met with the victim, who said she’d already entered the vehicle as stolen on July 6 with another officer. Boucher checked the NCIC database, and confirmed that the vehicle had been reported stolen.
The victim said she believed she knew who stole her car, saying it was either a man named Jason Mondragon or another man. She showed Boucher a picture of the man she believed stole her vehicle, and Boucher identified him as Mondragon, 31, based on previous interactions with him.
According to Boucher’s report, Mondragon was already in custody at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. He was allegedly arrested for a previous “driving-related crime.”
The New Mexico State Police confirmed that one of their officers had arrested Mondragon on July 6. At the time he was arrested, he was allegedly driving a 2005 white Ford SUV with New Mexico plates. The victim confirmed that it was her car.
Boucher filed an arrest warrant, and McKinley County Magistrate Judge Virginia Yazzie signed the arrest warrant later that same day.
Mondragon was served the warrant on July 9. He is now facing an unlawful taking of a vehicle charge, along with a DWI charge. His preliminary hearing for the vehicle theft is scheduled for July 29 in Gallup Magistrate Court, and a pretrial hearing related to his DWI charge is scheduled for July 30, also in Gallup Magistrate Court.
SELLING DRUGS FROM AN ILLEGAL CAMP SITE
Gallup, July 7
Gallup Police caught a man who was reportedly selling drugs from an illegal camp site.
On July 7, around 9 pm, McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Dominic Molina was in the area of Interstate 40 eastbound’s exit 20 on ramp, working undercover with the Violent Gang Task Force. The taskforce was conducting surveillance on an illegal camp site located on the south side of the interstate when they noticed a man wearing a black hat and jean shorts. According to Molina’s report, the man looked like he was handing something off to people who were walking up to his camp.
The man was eventually identified as Jimmie White, 54.
Several officers, including Molina, approached the camp, and as they approached someone yelled out “Police” and whistled to signal they were there.
White reportedly came running from inside the camp, and ran around the back side of a tent. An officer was able to detain him.
The officers went into the tent and reportedly found multiple pieces of aluminum foil and blue pills, which they identified as fentanyl.
White reportedly had a cross-body style bag around his neck, and Molina asked him to take it off. White allegedly threw it at Molina’s feet, and when the deputy asked him what was inside it, White said he didn’t know because he had “just picked it up.”
White reportedly eventually admitted that there were “beans” inside the bag. Beans is a street name for fentanyl.
The bag allegedly contained a glass smoking pipe, which can be used to smoke methamphetamine. There was also a tube inside the bag, which contained several fentanyl pills.
Officers also reportedly found a plastic baggie with a glass-like substance inside it in White’s pants pockets. This was identified as methamphetamine.
After a complete and final search of White’s person, officers found methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, a scale that is used to weigh narcotics, and multiple Ziploc baggies.
White was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine and distribution of a controlled substance. His preliminary hearing in Gallup Magistrate Court is scheduled for July 22.
79 FENTANYL PILLS
Gallup, July 7
The local Violent Crime Task Force allegedly caught a man with 79 fentanyl pills and some methamphetamine on him when they were trying to arrest him for an outstanding warrant.
On July 7, around 1:45 pm, Narcotics Agents with the Gallup Police Department, the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force were conducting surveillance at U.S. Highway 602 and Aztec Avenue Munoz Overpass when they noticed a man named Kirk Pensyl, 26, walking in a parking lot. According to Gallup Police Officer Lionel Desiderio’s report, they knew Pensyl had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
When they arrested Pensyl, he reportedly had a gray bag on him, and when officers opened it they reportedly saw several plastic baggies containing glass shard-like substances, which they identified as methamphetamine.
They also reportedly found some plastic tooters which contained a black substance and some aluminum foil on Pensyl’s person. He also allegedly had some fentanyl pills inside a plastic baggie.
In total, Pensyl reportedly had 1.1 grams of methamphetamine on him, and 79 fentanyl pills.
Pensyl was arrested and charged with two counts of trafficking a controlled substance. His preliminary hearing for the new charges is scheduled for July 22 in Gallup Magistrate Court.
“YOU AIN’T ARRESTING HIM”
Gallup, May 21
A man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly yelled at McKinley County Sheriff’s deputies and threatened to attack them when they were arresting someone he knew.
On May 21, around 12:15 pm, McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ernesto Giron was assisting Narcotics Agent Deputy Dominic Molina with an arrest in the 1000 block of Morgan Avenue when they noticed another man exiting a vehicle. The man was eventually identified as Terry Commack, 24.
According to Giron’s report, Commack was visibly irate. He questioned the deputies on why they were arresting the other man, and Giron explained that the man had several warrants.
Commack reportedly began yelling and cursing. He then allegedly pulled out a long silver pick, and said “You ain’t arresting him” and “I’m gonna f*****g stab you.”
In response to these actions, Giron pulled out his duty-issued firearm, and aimed it at Commack.
When Giron drew his firearm, Commack reportedly lowered his weapon and went back inside the vehicle.
Giron approached the vehicle and told Commack to get out. Commack allegedly locked the vehicle and refused to get out. But after a few minutes, he did eventually unlock it.
Giron pulled Commack out of the vehicle, and arrested him for aggravated assault against an officer and resisting arrest.
After Commack failed to attend a June court date, he was scheduled for both an evidentiary hearing and a preliminary hearing in Gallup Magistrate Court for July 15. As of press time, no further updates were available.
