Garfield County law enforcement arrested a suspect wanted for a 2013 Denver homicide Thursday and found more than a pound of meth in the man’s apartment, according to a Garfield County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Sheriff’s officials received a report Wednesday from Denver Police indicating Manuel Ocampo, 29, was living in Garfield County. Ocampo had active warrants in the Denver area, including bench warrants for failure to appear in Jefferson and Adams counties.
The Threat Assessment Group of Garfield County investigated the tip, and with the help of an unidentified local business was able to confirm where Ocampo was living in the county and observed him in his apartment.
Due to the suspected offenses, authorities assembled the All-Hazards Response Team to serve a warrant at approximately 4:20 p.m. Thursday, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Ocampo was arrested without incident, according to the press release. Deputy District Attorney Anthony Hershey said during an advisement hearing Friday that Ocampo attempted to flee after he was surrounded by the SWAT teams.
Investigators found “distribution quantities” of suspected drugs in Ocampo’s apartment. The search yielded more than a pound of methamphetamine, a smaller amount of heroin, drug distribution equipment and a handgun.
Garfield County Court Judge Paul Metzger set bond for Ocampo at $50,000. Ocampo also has a no-bond hold in Denver County, a $30,000 bond in Jefferson County for a dangerous drugs charge, and a $3,000 bond in Adams County for fleeing law enforcement in a vehicle.
Ocampo’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.