Pueblo man admits to police he reported fake kidnapping to get stolen truck back faster
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - A Pueblo man is facing felony charges after admitting to police he lied about a teen girl he claimed was kidnapped inside his stolen truck Wednesday night. He admitted that he lied because he wanted more police resources to find his stolen car.
Court documents state that Reyes admitted he fabricated a story about his niece, who he claimed was visiting from California. He told police that she had been taken in his stolen vehicle, and provided photos taken three years ago and an incorrect name.
Police then found the truck without the girl inside. On Oct. 16, authorities issued an AMBER Alert for 13-year-old Sandra Mendoza, the girl Reyes claimed was missing. Police also issued a be on the lookout for who they believed to be Sandra Mendoza that evening on social media outlets.
After the social media post, a Pueblo family called the police department to notify them that their teenage daughter was in the picture, that it was an old picture and that she was not related to Daniel Reyes. The family said that they had known Reyes years ago, but severed ties.
RELATED: AMBER ALERT deactivated after 13-year-old Pueblo girl found safe
After police arrested Reyes, he admitted to making the whole story up, because he "knew it would warrant a faster response" to find his stolen car.
Residents who received the alerts tell KRDO13 what Reyes did was awfully wrong, "It's cruel. It's messed up. Why would you take something serious that's not a joke and then use it to your benefit?...It's really messed up like especially on his part because I mean it's just a truck at the end of the day," Matthew Hamman and Caleb Duran said.
Pueblo police have now arrested, Reyes, a man who knows the teen's family, for wasting law enforcement resources after they say that he lied about Sandra being in the truck when it was stolen. He is being charged with an attempt to influence a Peace Officer, a class four felony. Reyes has a lengthy criminal history including assault and Marijuana charges that date back a decade.
A Pueblo county judge granted Reyes a $10,000 PR bond Thursday. He is expected back in court on Oct. 24th.
