EL PASO COUNTY — A routine patrol led to the arrest of a violent, prolific offender, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
It happened Monday near the Econo Lodge on Panamint Court, which is located in the Cimarron Hills area.
Deputies say they observed a white Chevrolet pickup truck leaving the parking lot that matched a recent crime report. They also say the truck's license plate cover was tinted.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as 28-year-old Mesha Hartman. They confirmed the truck was reported stolen last month in Colorado Springs.
The sheriff's office says they searched the truck and found several items of drug paraphernalia, narcotics and firearms.
At the time of the incident, Hartman was on parole for the following:
- weapons violations
- narcotics violations
- motor vehicle thefts
Hartman was taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Jail on the following charges:
- possession of a weapon by a previous offender
- motor vehicle theft
- possession of drug paraphernalia
- fictitious registration
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal released the following statement regarding this arrest:
“I am grateful for my deputy's attention to detail, ultimately leading to the arrest and getting a known career criminal off our streets. Mesha Hartman is another example of the Colorado legislature’s soft approach to offenders in our state. This individual was allowed back into our community and victimized more community members when, ultimately, they should have remained in prison and served the entirety of their sentence.
My deputies are working across our community to hold criminals accountable and hold the line against anti-public safety policies, which allow for the early release of prolific criminals. Criminals should know, if they come to the Pikes Peak region and victimize our community, we will hold them accountable.”
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