Fountain officer dies chasing man who spent six months in prison on court-ordered 3-year sentence

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- 13 Investigates has uncovered new details about the suspects who had multiple warrants for their arrests the night Fountain PD officer Julian Becerra fatally fell from a bridge while attempting to apprehend them.

That fugitive, 31-year-old Devon Bobian, is a four-time convicted felon who had "escaped" from a community corrections facility in Pueblo two months before the night of the car chase along Interstate-25. Bobian had convictions for felony robbery, possessing dangerous drugs, car theft, and possession of a weapon by a prior felon.

According to the Colorado Department of Corrections, Bobian was sent to Community Corrections on September 21, 2022. On December 10, 2022, a DOC spokesperson says he went "AWOL" and never returned to the site. Arrest records say he told DOC officials that he "fell asleep" at his sister's house. However, he never returned that day. A nationwide warrant for his arrest was issued.

13 Investigates learned Bobian was sentenced to 3 years in prison in March 2022 just six months before he was sent to community corrections as a part of their "transition program." Due to recent changes in state law, walking away from a community corrections facility is no longer a felony, and is now a misdemeanor. The sponsors of that law are Denver democrats, Representative Leslie Herod and Senator Julie Gonzalez.

Court records say he was sent there "per Executive Order assignment." Community Corrections in Pueblo is run by "Intervention Community Corrections Services," a non-profit in Colorado. 13 Investigates has attempted to reach their executive leadership regarding what safeguards are in place to ensure repeat felons cannot walk away from their facilities. Our calls have not been returned.

"They should never have been out on the street in the first place," Fountain Mayor Sharon Thompson said in the wake of Officer Becerras's passing. "Due to a lack of accountability in our justice system and failed bail reform initiatives, they were allowed to prey on our citizens and create the circumstances that put Officer Becerra on the bridge that night. While our brave police officers and first responders meet this crime head-on, our laws in Colorado are doing less to help them."

Bobian's accomplice, Anthony Vallejos, is also a four-time convicted felon, who was on probation on the night of the car chase. His prior convictions were for burglary, robbery, car theft and most recently, menacing his girlfriend with a weapon.

Arrest records say Vallejos forced his way into a home with his girlfriend inside on May 5, 2021. They say he threatened her with a pistol and forced her in his car, stating "come here, bi***."

In this case, Vallejos struck a deal with the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The plea deal came with a sentence of two years probation, despite his lengthly criminal history. 13 Investigates asked Pueblo DA Jeff Chostner why this deal was offered. He issued this statement:

"We had to enter into the plea because of evidentiary issues.  Uncooperative witnesses primarily, though there were other problems as well.  As you may imagine, we don’t like to enter pleas with individuals who have this background.  But sometime it is the best we can do with the evidence we have. My senior attorneys met in our Office, with victim and her sister.  They did not want the defendant to go to trial and urged us to drop the charges.  Our victim believed the defendant could and would change and wanted him there for their new family.  We explained that we would not drop the charges, but offered a plea to lesser charge in accordance with evidence limitations, given their unwillingness to testify."

-- Pueblo District Attorney Jeff Chostner

Chostner says he agrees with Mayor Thompson's calls for reform, specifically around bail-reform efforts to make it much easier to get out of jail on pre-trial release.

“I will agree with the Mayor’s assessment regarding conditions of bail.  They are far too lenient in my view as well.  This is yet another issue with the State Legislature that I would like to see reformed," Chostner said. "There are too many people on the streets that need to be behind bars; and once there, to remain there.  I have been highlighting this issue for the past 2 years, and we’re all seeing the ill effect of misguided legislation."

None of the 3 suspects were out on bond the night of the car chase. However, Thompson says laws need to change in order to protect public safety.

"These types of laws empower criminals and make law-abiding citizens more vulnerable to those who would do us harm. This type of environment, coupled with an increasingly hostile sentiment openly shared by some towards our entire law enforcement community, has created thriving conditions for emboldened criminals and collectively diminished our safety," Thompson said.