On Feb. 10 around 5:53 p.m., Montezuma County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call regarding two men who were allegedly stealing from an individual in Pleasant View.
Deputy Thomas Frost and Deputy Jacob Gilberto responded to the call, saying the call reported a potential in-progress theft at 28347 Road 17.5 in Pleasant View.
The caller informed Cortez dispatch that there were two trucks and an SUV at the location that were being loading with things from the property.
Deputy Frost and Deputy Gilberto intercepted the vehicles at 17000 Block of Road DD. There, they came in contact with Brett Adam Robsion and Jacob Aaron Ortiz.
The deputies said the men were driving a gold Dodge Ram truck and a gray GMC Sierra truck.
After providing the men’s names to dispatchers, they were informed that Robsion had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from the Cortez Police Department for failure to appear in court on a weapons charge.
He was arrested by deputies because of the outstanding warrant.
When questioned by police regarding their recent activities, Ortiz told police that they had come from 28347 Road 17.5, and that he had been helping Robsion remove things from the property, which included a John Deere side-by-side and a Yamaha motorcycle on a 16-foot trailer, according to the reports.
After checking the motorcycle’s VIN number, dispatch said that the motorcycle had been stolen from a residence in Dolores County.
They also found three wire welders, a Rigid brand pipe stand, acetylene, oxygen tanks and multiple tools inside the GMC, according to the incident reports.
Frost said he heard his radio transmission coming from the cab of the truck Ortiz was in, as he was listening to the dispatch channel on his cellphone.
In the back of the Dodge, deputies found multiple power tools with the initials B.R.W., and both Robsion and Ortiz said they didn’t know who owned the tools.
The owner of the property where the suspected robbery occurred was identified as Gerald Julian Fougerat Jr., who has a residence in Gonzales, Texas.
After being contacted by deputies, Fougerat said that he didn’t know Robsion or Ortiz, and had not given anyone permission to be on the property or remove items from it.
Fougerat went on to tell deputies that the John Deere side-by-side and the welding gear had belonged to his deceased son, who lived at the property before his death.
“Jacob Ortiz stated that he had been asked by Brett Robsion to come and help him remove the property from that location. Jacob Ortiz stated that he had no idea that the property was stolen or that they had no right to be there,” deputy Frost said.
The Dodge truck was registered to Ortiz, and the GMC truck was found to be registered to Shawn Raul Abeln, who Ortiz said was his friend and had permitted him to use the truck.
Robsion told deputies that his mother, Cynthia Lynn Robsion, had told him that she had been given permission to remove things from the property, and she asked Robsion to do it for her.
Fougerat said he didn’t know Cynthia Robsion, and that he knew someone named “Cindy” in the Cortez area, but didn’t know if “Cindy” could actually be Cynthia Robsion.
Robsion and Ortez were booked in the Montezuma County Detention Center.
Robsion was charged with unlawfully carrying/possessing a concealed weapon, theft of $20,000 to $100,000 and first- and third-degree criminal trespass. He was also booked on his outstanding warrant.
Ortiz was charged with theft of $20,000 to $100,000 and first- and third-degree criminal trespass.
The deputies added that the vehicles used in the alleged thefts were towed to the Montezuma County impound lot, where they await processing.
Robsion was arrested Nov. 16 near Kemper Elementary School in possession of an illegal shotgun that he was attempting to conceal, and on Dec. 17 on a warrant from the Montezuma County Combined Courts.
Robsion will appear in court Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. for filing of charges and appearance on bond, and Ortiz will appear Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m.
