Several including juveniles implicated in RR shooting, drugs, auto theft

RIO RANCHO — Several people, including juveniles, were allegedly found to be a part of a chop shop, drugs and shooting in Rio Rancho.

Dominick Didonato, 28, of Rio Rancho, was arrested Oct. 15 for operating the chop shop (a place where vehicles are dismantled for parts sales), two counts of receiving stolen property, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles at a residence on Golf Course Road. Information was not available in the courts for others that were arrested, but a report names several people.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Rio Rancho Police Department, the special services unit conducted an investigation into juvenile gun violence Rio Rancho. Dominic Rosal, a juvenile, is listed as being involved in a shooting and being found in possession of firearms, the document stated.

On Oct. 14, officers saw Rosal and several other juveniles, in two vehicles, drive to a location near Southern and Rainbow boulevards and then to Sandia Road, a dirt road near Rainbow.

Officers were continuing to surveil them when they heard gunfire where the juveniles stopped. Officers counted approximately seven people in the area and saw multiple people discharge firearms. Other officers in the area also heard the gunfire and heard ricochets from projectiles. The gunfire was directed toward open roads and structures, police noted.

The suspects left the area quickly when officers tried to approach them, with one vehicle driven by Didonato.

The vehicle that temporarily got away was tailed to a residence off of Sixth Street, where a high-risk stop happened.

The complaint states that Jarrod Kirtley was driving that vehicle. Evan Kirtley, 18, was a passenger in the vehicle. Rosal, John Romero, Ataveshaun Stegen-holmes and Christian Fresquez, who are all juveniles, were also passengers in the vehicle. All subjects were detained.

Jarrod Kirtley confirmed that he drove his son and his friends to the mesa to shoot guns and confirmed that Didonato met them out there, bringing handgun and an AR-15 rifle with him to the mesa.

Officers found several guns with serial numbers removed or returning as stolen. A search of the vehicle and located several handguns and a rifle.

Officers then conducted surveillance at Didonato’s residence on Golf Course Road, which was the subject of several calls complaining of narcotics activity, stolen vehicle calls and gun-related incidents.

Didonato and Clarissa Armstrong, his girlfriend, have history of narcotics-related offenses and stolen vehicles. Officers recently received a tip that Armstrong is large supplier of methamphetamine. Through prior surveillance, officers state, they have seen people arrive for a short time and quickly leave.

Didonato also had a court-ordered conditions of release prohibiting all the activities in the complaint.

Inside the home, police found several magazines and ammunition, 11 firearms, suspected methamphetamine, suspected cocaine, two stolen license plates and three stolen trailers.

Those charged, if convicted, could face more than 15 years in prison.