Back so soon: Socorro man with long arrest string back in El Paso jail

A Socorro man who has been arrested-and-released repeatedly over the past year is back behind bars after allegedly fleeing from El Paso police in a stolen vehicle last week, authorities said.

Armando Bejarano, 37, is accused in a cycle of stealing vehicles and fleeing from law enforcement and a variety of other crimes, including drug possession, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to jail records and law enforcement officials.

After his latest arrest on Thursday, Bejarano remained jailed on Sunday under a total bond of $355,000 at the El Paso County Jail in Downtown, according to records. A bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

An El Paso County Sheriff’s Office news release had said Bejarano had been “arrested 27 times” throughout 2023, but an El Paso County Jail log shows that’s the number of charges, not the times he was booked into jail.

Jail records show Bejarano was arrested and booked nine times in 2023 and four times in 2022. In each case last year, he was released on a surety bond, except for a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia when he was released on a $500 cash bond on Jan. 11, 2023.

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The latest arrest was on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, when Bejarano was driving a reportedly stolen 2013 Chevrolet 2500 when officers attempted to pull him over in the 8700 block of Gateway East Boulevard near George Dieter Drive, El Paso police officials said.

Armando Bejarano, jail booking photo after his arrest on Jan. 4, 2024, by El Paso police.

Bejarano allegedly refused to stop, drove erratically and caused property damage in the 9500 block of Escobar Drive.

A search by El Paso police, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection air unit, and El Paso County sheriff’s deputies resulted in Bejarano being found in the 10800 block of Robin Road in Socorro, officials said.

Bejarano was arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief, theft of property, and evading arrest or detention.

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Bejarano was arrested a week prior, released

This recent arrest comes after Bejarano arrested a week prior in connection with warrants from three other local law enforcement agencies.

Bejarano was arrested Dec. 28 by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in connection with four outstanding warrants, sheriff’s office officials said.

He was arrested on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for theft of property; a theft of property warrant from the Horizon City Police Department, and two warrants from the Socorro Police Department for evading arrest and evading with a motor vehicle, officials said.

Armando Bejarano, jail booking photo from Dec. 28 arrest by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

Bejarano was booked Thursday, Dec. 28 into the El Paso County Jail in connection with the warrants on a bond totaling $71,500.

The bond was reduced Saturday, Dec. 30, by a magistrate judge to $41,000 “despite his extensive arrest record,” sheriff’s office officials said. He posted bail Sunday, Dec. 31 and was released from jail, records show.

A regular jail visitor

Bejarano, who prominently sports a Boston Red Sox’s style “B” tattoo on the front of his neck, is no stranger to police and was a regular guest at the El Paso County Jail last year.

Jail records show he was booked and then released on the following charges last year:

• Jan. 11, released same day. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Jan. 28, released same day. Drug possession, unauthorized use of a vehicle.

• March 19, released on March 25. Two counts aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful carrying of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Warrants for manufacture/delivery of controlled substance, evading arrest with vehicle.

• May 1, released same day. Theft of vehicle.

• Aug. 22, released Aug. 23. Assault family violence, evading arrest with vehicle, evading arrest.

• Sept. 13, released Sept. 15. Theft of vehicle, theft of property (vehicle), unauthorized use of vehicle.

• Sept. 29, released Oct. 1. Warrants assault family violence, evading arrest with vehicle, evading arrest, drug possession, abandon endanger child.

• Nov. 24, released Nov. 27. Evading arrest with vehicle

• Dec. 28, released Dec. 31. Unauthorized use of vehicle, evading arrest with vehicle, evading arrest. Warrants on two counts of theft of property.

All of the 2023 criminal cases against Bejarano remain pending in district court, records show.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT. Reporter Daniel Borunda contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Socorro man arrested again in repeating arrest, release cycle