On November 18, 2024, Fargo police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle from a locked garage on Southwood Dr. S. The vehicle’s registered owner reported the car was last seen in the garage, with the keys left inside.
Stolen Vehicle Tracked Using FLOCK System
By 1 p.m. the same day, the Fargo Police Department (FPD) used their FLOCK camera system to track the vehicle’s location. Officers located the car and saw a man, later identified as Valentino Barrientez, exit the driver’s seat and enter a business while two passengers remained inside the vehicle.
Arrest and Drug Paraphernalia Found
Barrientez, 34, was arrested on charges of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Police also found narcotics paraphernalia in his possession during the arrest. Barrientez was already facing multiple warrants, including for probation violation and theft-related offenses.
Passenger Arrested for Methamphetamine Possession
One of the passengers in the stolen vehicle, Dacotah Coggins, 24, was detained and found to be in possession of methamphetamine and additional drug paraphernalia. Coggins also had several active warrants, including charges for Driving Under Suspension and Possession of Methamphetamine.
Coggins was arrested and faces additional charges, while the second passenger was released at the scene.
This incident highlights the success of the FPD’s FLOCK camera system in tracking stolen vehicles, as well as the ongoing efforts to address drug-related offenses in the area.