Robbery Suspect Arrested After High-Risk Traffic Stop

GRAND JUNCTION, CO — A 24-year-old Grand Junction man is facing numerous felony and misdemeanor charges following an armed robbery and a brief standoff with law enforcement on Saturday evening.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on March 14, 2026, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported armed robbery in the 2900 block of Orchard Avenue. According to authorities, the suspect held a male victim at gunpoint, stole his belongings, and fled the scene in a vehicle.

Deputies, working alongside officers from the Grand Junction Police Department, quickly began searching the surrounding area. Law enforcement located the suspect’s car near the intersection of 17th Street and Elm Avenue and initiated a high-risk traffic stop.

The suspect initially refused to exit his vehicle, but after approximately 10 minutes of negotiation with officers, he was safely detained. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of the victim’s stolen property as well as a stolen firearm.

The suspect, identified as Paul Lucero, 24, of Grand Junction, was transported and booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges:

Aggravated Robbery – Wound/Strike with a Weapon (Felony 3)

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (Felony 4)

Theft of a Firearm (Felony 6)

Harassment – Strike, Shove, Kick or Otherwise (Misdemeanor 1)

Resisting Arrest (Misdemeanor 2)

Obstructing a Peace Officer, Firefighter, or EMT (Misdemeanor 2)

Child Abuse – Knowingly/Reckless – No Injury (Misdemeanor 2)

Reckless Endangerment (Misdemeanor 2)

Theft – Less Than $300 (Petty Offense)

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Grand Junction Police Department for their assistance, noting that the quick resolution of the incident highlighted the strong working relationship between the two agencies.

Photos by Mesa County Sheriff’s Office