ROSWELL — A nervous driver and observant police officer helped Roswell police recover a stolen vehicle last week. In addition, it was discovered during the investigation of the stolen vehicle that the two people in that vehicle had in total nine warrants for their arrests. The man who was driving and the woman passenger were arrested.
RPD Officer Tracy Mounts was on patrol in her police car Friday morning (July 24)
shortly after 10:30 a.m. when she found herself behind a white 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pickup after she turned onto East McGaffey Street. Almost immediately after she ended up behind the pickup, the pickup turned off onto another street.
Thinking the pickup’s sudden change of direction may have been in response to her presence, Officer Mounts followed up on her suspicions by calling in to a dispatcher the pickup’s license plate to have dispatch check its status. The officer learned the vehicle was reported stolen from Portales.
Although the pickup had left the officer’s view while she was checking its status with dispatch, Officer Mounts quickly relocated the vehicle parked near a residence in the 400 block of East Albuquerque Street. Officer Mounts watched the occupants of the pickup go into the residence. Officer Mike Fry arrived to assist and the two officers were able to locate the man and woman from the pickup in the backyard of the residence. Each suspect was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. They were each arrested and the stolen pickup was also taken into custody.
Jimmy Baca, 29, of Portales, who had been driving the pickup, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and concealing identity.
He had given officers a false name when first approached in the backyard. Baca was also arrested on seven warrants from Roosevelt County. The warrants included cases of failure to appear, failure to comply, embezzlement of a vehicle, and trafficking controlled substances.
Katie Lane Duffey, 25, of Roswell, who also has used the last name Meeks, was charged with possession of a controlled substance. She was also arrested on warrants for failure to
