LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — While announcing an arrest in connection with the Alexander Mountain Fire, the Larimer County sheriff revealed the man accused of starting the wildfire had been arrested before.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Forest Service held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, where they identified the suspect as Jason Alexander Hobby, 49, of Loveland. He faces charges of first-degree arson, two counts of impersonating a peace officer, felony menacing, false imprisonment and impersonating a public servant. After obtaining an arrest warrant for Hobby on Sept. 6, he was taken into custody on Sept. 10. He was issued a $450,000 cash/surety bond.
Hobby was an employee at the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch — a family-owned, 3,200-acre property in the foothills west of Loveland — up until about three or four weeks ago when he was identified as a suspect during the course of the investigation, said Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen during the press conference. The ranch then terminated his employment.
Watch the full press conference below:
On Thursday, Denver7 Investigates obtained court records from Riverside County, California, where Hobby faced criminal charges previously. The records reveal Hobby was arrested on July 4, 1999.
According to the court documents, Hobby was arrested for not having "private security" patches. He was eventually charged with manufacturing, importing, and selling weapons, failing to carry valid security ID, and wearing a baton without registering it.
All charges were dismissed due to a violation of the defendant's rights to a speedy trial, according to a spokesperson for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
According to California law, the majority of the charges fall under the state's "Business and Professions Code" in the chapter pertaining to "private security services."
Denver7 Investigates is working to learn more about the specifics of these charges.
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