Sheldon, Iowa — A Denver, Colorado man has been arrested on felony burglary and theft charges after an incident in and near Sheldon.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the O’Brien County Clerk of Court’s Office by the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Abraham Herrera Mejias is accused of fleeing a traffic stop, burglarizing a business and stealing items. He was arrested on Tuesday.
In his statement, the deputy says that on Monday evening, Herrera Mejias was stopped by the Sheldon Police Department around 10:30 p.m. During that stop Herrera Mejias was being detained and fled the scene with a one hand in a handcuff. The deputy says Herrera Mejias was last seen fleeing northbound near Highway 60. On Tuesday (the next day), the owner of Hydraulic Solutions at 4966 300th Street, two miles north of where the suspect fled, reported a burglary. They provided images from the security camera footage of the suspect taking cash from a cash drawer at 2:52 a.m. While the burglary was being investigated, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a suspicious male on a bicycle that seemed confused in the 2200-mile of Olive Avenue. The deputy says the subject’s description matched that of Herrera Mejias. A deputy from Osceola County responded and Herrera Mejias fled again. Using a drone, the O’Brien County Deputy located the suspect, who had been hiding in tall grass. They say Herrera Mejias was wearing the same clothes that the burglary suspect in the security camera image was wearing. Herrera Mejias was read his rights with use of a translator and he confessed to entering Hydraulic Solutions and steeling clothes, cash, and the bicycle he was riding in Osceola County. While being searched, the cash was located on his person.
Herrera Mejias was charged with third-degree burglary, a class D felony. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree theft.
He faces a preliminary hearing on the charges on December 23rd.
At last report, Herrera Mejias remained in the O’Brien County Jail in Primghar in lieu of a $6,500 cash or surety bond.
