RANGELY | Rangely dispatch received a call on the evening of Nov. 18. The caller stated they saw two suspects who were wanted out of Vernal, Utah, inside the White River Market in Rangely. The caller stated the man and woman left the store and were possibly heading to the Rangely Pharmacy traveling in a green utility vehicle.
A short time later an officer was speaking to Utah authorities and was informed the two were suspects in more than 30 burglaries recently committed in the Uintah basin area. The latest burglary happened about two hours prior to the call. Additional information indicated an AK47 was stolen recently, as well as an unknown amount of cash and large quantities of jewelry. The two suspects were identified as Montey Ellis and Tracey Soules of Utah.
Patrolman Mazzella was off duty, driving past True Value, when he saw a green Ford Ranger parked behind the store. Suspicious, Mazzella went home and retrieved his patrol car. He returned to the alley where he saw the same pickup pulled up to the alley of South White Ave., with four occupants inside.
Mazzella was right in front of them when dispatch told officers they received information that the suspects wanted out of Utah had just used a stolen credit card inside Rangely True Value. They were also known to be riding in a green Ford Ranger.
The vehicle turned onto South White behind Pt. Mazzella. He pulled to the roadside to let the vehicle pass, but the driver made an abrupt right turn off White Ave., directly into the front yard of a residence. Mazzella pulled in behind the vehicle and saw two men exit the pickup. Pt. Mazzella held all four individuals at gunpoint until help arrived in the form of three Rangely officers and three Rio Blanco County deputies who took the four occupants, two males and two females, into custody.
Officers discovered a stolen credit card had been used in multiple businesses in Rangely to purchase roughly $500 worth of merchandise, and to attempt to purchase another $500 worth of goods.
Pt. Mazzella recovered both foreign and U.S. currency, as well as a large quantity of jewelry, all of which is believed stolen. Some jewelry belonging to the latest Utah victim was found along with her identity card. Additional recovered property has been turned over to Utah authorities for identification.
Ellis is being held on a Utah warrant for various burglary related charges. His warrant bond is set at $500,000 by Utah. Ellis is also being held on local charges, including possession of stolen property, unlawful use of a financial transaction device and conspiracy.
Soules is being held on a warrant out of Utah for various burglary related charges. Her warrant bond is set at $500,000 by Utah. Soules is also being held on local charges, including possession of stolen property, unlawful use of a financial transaction device, conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine.
The second female, identified as Marcia Huber of Utah, was arrested and is being held via warrant out of Fort Collins, Colo., for theft.
The fourth individual, who was not arrested, is still under investigation.
