NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A man who Monterey County officials had been seeking since 1997 for a homicide was arrested last week following a traffic stop in Glenn County.
Fidel Rios-Soto, 39, of Renton, Wash., was taken into custody for drug charges and later booked for the murder warrant, according to Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones.
At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, the California Highway Patrol conducted an enforcement stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation on southbound Interstate 5, south of the County Road 20 overpass, Jones reported.
Officers contacted the driver, Rios-Soto, and an adult female passenger, both of Washington state. Rios-Soto was cooperative and advised the officers he had methamphetamine and approximately $6,000 of U.S. currency on his person, Jones said.
Glenn Interagency Narcotics Task Force (GLINTF) agents were called and took over the investigation. Jones said the CHP officer on scene advised GLINTF agents there possibly was an outstanding felony arrest warrant for homicide out of Monterey County for a Fidel Rios-Soto, but with a different date of birth. The outstanding warrant was issued in 1997.
GLINTF agents located approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine, approximately $24,000 in U.S. currency, and a loaded handgun inside the vehicle. Jones said the street value of the narcotics was estimated at $1,600.
GLINTF agents, in conjunction with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, continued the investigation to determine the true identity of Rios-Soto, Jones said. The identity was confirmed by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office by photos, tattoos, surgical scars, and by comparing latent print cards that were provided by GLINTF.
On Friday, March 22, Fidel Rios-Soto was booked for the felony warrant for homicide, with bail set at $500,000, Jones said. On March 19 he had been booked by GLINTF agents on the fresh local narcotics and weapons violations, with bail set at $55,000.
Glenn County Sheriff’s correctional officers also obtained a no bail Immigration & Customs Enforcement hold on Rios-Soto, Jones said.
Rios-Soto alleged that he was currently living in Renton, Wash., and worked for NW Classic Landscapes, also located in Renton, according to Jones.
Arrangements will be made to have Rios-Soto transported to Monterey County to answer for the alleged homicide. Jones said Glenn County GLINTF will continue to assist Monterey County as needed.