Man wanted on parole violation for homicide arrested in Pueblo

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A man wanted by the Colorado Department of Corrections on a parole violation for homicide was arrested in Pueblo on Monday, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said.

The sheriff's office said 32-year-old Gilbert Ballejos was arrested in the early morning of March 31 after being spotted at Battle Ground Skilled Gaming on Santa Fe Drive.

Deputies patrolling in the area confronted him after recognizing him from an FBI Safe Streets "Most Wanted Criminals" post published on March 28, PCSO said.

Ballejos was wanted for a parole violation for second-degree homicide and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.

Though he was taken into custody without incident, the sheriff's office said that during a routine pat-down search, deputies found over 9 grams of "suspected methamphetamine" in Ballejos’ pocket.

Ballejos was arrested for unlawful possession of a controlled substance and on the outstanding warrant from the Department of Corrections, and was booked into the Pueblo County Jail.

“This was great awareness and police work by the deputies who were able to identify this wanted felon, formulate a plan and then take him into custody without any issues,” Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said. “I commend the deputies for their work in getting this previous offender who should not have been out on our streets into custody. Arrests like this help make our community a better and safer place.”

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.