ALAMOSA — Formal charges have been filed against Deyon Jaramillo, 26, of Monte Vista related to the fires that were allegedly set in the Walmart in Alamosa on Saturday, Feb. 27 at around 8pm. Jaramillo has been charged with three felonies – 1st Degree Arson and Criminal Mischief, both third degree felonies plus Criminal Impersonation, a sixth degree felony.  He has also been charged with Reckless Endangerment, Obstructing a Peace Officer and Resisting Arrest, all misdemeanors. The damage throughout the store from both the fires and the smoke resulting from the fires is, according to Walmart General Manager Adam Lopez, estimated to be $100,000.

Mr. Jaramillo is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, Mar. 9.

According to the probable cause statement filed with the Alamosa Combined Court, Sergeant Squires with the Alamosa Police Department responded to the Walmart at 3333 Clark Street on report of several fires being lit inside the store. Upon entering the building, Squires saw the west side of the building filled with a “very thick, gray smoke” and several people running toward the exit. Squires radioed other officers on the scene to immediately begin evacuating the building. He estimates there were approximately 100 customers and 50 employees in the store at that time.

While on his way toward the west side of the building, Squires was stopped by an individual who pointed out a male wearing black Carhart hat and blue bandana whom, he believed, was the individual responsible for setting the fires. Squires, who spotted the man walking towards the front of the store, radioed to the other officers to make contact with the man.

When Squires reached the site of the fires – one which was in the pillow section and the other in men’s clothing -- they were already extinguished, thanks to the fast actions of several Walmart employees and a “bystander” who was later identified as Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Tyler Cerny.

After making certain everyone was evacuated, Squires headed for where the man in question had been intercepted.

After getting a date of birth and the name Deyon Martinez, APD Officer T. Bertsch ran a check with Colorado State Patrol (CSP) Dispatch who stated they did not have someone by the name of Martinez with that birthday but did have someone matching that date of birth named Deyon Jaramillo. Officer Bertsch asked the man for his real name, and he admitted to being Deyon Jaramillo. As Sergeant Squires states in his report, “Jaramillo was clearly attempting to hide his identity.”

When CSP also informed the officer Jaramillo had an active warrant for his arrest, Jaramillo began to argue, at which point, Squires told Jaramillo to put his hands behind his back and attempted to grab his arm. Jaramillo “immediately pulled away…and faced (Squires) in an aggressive manner.” Jaramillo was then “placed on the ground” where he continued to resist. Officers were ultimately able to get full control of Jaramillo and took him into custody, transporting him to Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Squires later viewed video footage where someone, whom Squires was able to identify as Deyon Jaramillo, is seen in the pillow aisle “bending down in the exact spot” where one of the fires started. Shortly after Jaramillo walked away, a fire is visible. Squires was shown video with Jaramillo and the same sequence of events in the men’s clothing, also where a fire was observed just a short time later.

Further investigation revealed that both fires were started using “Sterno Green Canned Heat”, which Walmart sells.

Jaramillo is also scheduled for court on Appearance on Arrest Warrant related to a 2019 case where originally 5 charges were filed against Jaramillo but were reduced to a fifth degree felony charge of Burglary, which Jaramillo pled guilty to committing.  The specifics of that case are not known; neither are the specifics of the arrest warrant but, according to a clerk of the court, cases of this type typically involve a violation of probation or parole.

That court date is set for March 15.

All defendants are considered innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.