According to a press release from the Hayden Police Department, two Pueblo County residents were arrested on narcotics and firearm charges on Thursday.

An on-duty Hayden police officer received information from a Routt County Sheriff’s deputy about a vehicle traveling toward Hayden that was suspected of criminal activity.

The officer located the vehicle near 6th and Jefferson in Hayden and saw that it was speeding. Due to the traffic infraction, verified by the officer’s radar unit, the vehicle was stopped.

While the Hayden officer was tending to the traffic stop for speeding, a Routt County Sheriff’s Office canine deputy arrived and deployed a canine that is certified in narcotics detection. The canine alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics coming from the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, approximately 9 grams of suspected methamphetamine, various drug paraphernalia, a digital scale and a loaded 9 mm handgun with a defaced serial number were located.

April Ranck and Jonathan Chavira of Pueblo County, were arrested and booked into the Routt County Jail. The driver of the vehicle, Ranck, was charged with the distribution of methamphetamine while the passenger, Chavira, was charged with the distribution of methamphetamine, a special offender violation for possessing a firearm during drug distribution and possession of a defaced firearm.

“I am extremely grateful for the teamwork with the Routt County Sheriff’s Office, its deputies, and the canine program,” said Hayden Police Chief Scott Scurlock. “The partnership between the public safety agencies in this region of Colorado is second to none. This is a great example of how a simple traffic stop leads to the seizure of illegal narcotics and a firearm.”

Scurlock said that those who commit crimes travel the same roads as our community members, and police agencies often use traffic stops for seemingly minor violations as a legal means to contact these individuals and interdict criminal activity.