GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) — A long-term, multi-agency investigation has led to the arrest of four individuals believed to be part of an organized auto theft ring operating across Colorado and Utah.
On April 16, officers from the Colorado State Patrol, SPEAR task force, and Mesa County Sheriff’s Office apprehended the suspects in Rifle, Colorado, shortly after they crossed state lines with several stolen vehicles.
The arrests stemmed from coordinated law enforcement efforts that began on April 15 when agencies in Colorado and Utah identified a suspect vehicle in eastern Utah. Authorities believed the suspects would return to Colorado the next day — and they did.
Upon entering Colorado, law enforcement quickly located the vehicles and conducted multiple traffic stops, which led to the arrest of the following individuals:
Luis Leiva Arizmendiz, 23
Nerio Estrada Soto, 19
Roberto Soto Cruz, 35
Lorena Mendoza-Soto, 29
All four face the following felony charges:
Second Degree Motor Vehicle Theft
Felony 4: Second Degree Motor Vehicle Theft
Felony 4: Theft over $100,000
Felony 3: Conspiracy
Felony 6: Criminal Attempt
Authorities estimate that the recovered stolen property — which includes two trucks, two Polaris RZRs, two trailers, and one RZR frame — is worth more than $170,000.
Ongoing Investigation
Law enforcement believes this group may be linked to numerous vehicle thefts across both states and that the case is part of a broader investigation that remains active.
