An observant deputy with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office on routine patrol made a surprising discovery after noticing a truck with a registration that didn't match, ultimately leading to the arrest of a man and woman on drug possession charges. The 2001 Chevy 2500 truck, spotted parked at Dollar General on U.S. Highway 50 East, was found by the deputy to have a temporary registration incongruent with the vehicle data. When the deputy approached the vehicle, the passenger, Tamara Rodriguez, 30, was found to have two outstanding warrants, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office.
During a subsequent search, almost 8.5 grams of methamphetamine were discovered on Rodriguez. In what could easily have turned into a dangerous situation, the deputies further located a loaded handgun and assorted drug paraphernalia in Rodriguez's backpack. Richard Rigg, 55, emerged from the store to claim the vehicle shortly thereafter but lacked proof of ownership, prompting deputies to decide the truck needed to be towed.
As standard protocol dictates, before a vehicle is impounded, deputies conduct a preliminary inventory search of the truck. It was during this search that they found a loaded handgun with two loaded magazines, an M-4 style rifle, body armor, and various tools on the front seat. A lunch bag in the truck also contained several bags of methamphetamine, about 40 Fentanyl pills, and drug paraphernalia, as stated by the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office.
Rodriguez was subsequently arrested and booked into the Pueblo County Jail, facing multiple charges that include unlawful possession and distribution of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The seriousness of the charges is compounded by the special offender status and the two outstanding warrants linked with her name. Similarly, Rigg was arrested and also booked into the Pueblo County Jail on charges including unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of burglary tools, and as a special offender. An ongoing investigation may potentially yield further charges, pending the outcome of a search warrant on the truck.
