Craig resident has not made good on fines from horse smuggling case

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Victor Tarango, 39, is in custody at Moffat County Jail on a bench warrant for failing to comply with the stipulations of a court order.
Moffat County Court Judge Sandra Gardner executed the warrant Monday, according to court records.
Tarango, a Craig resident, was subsequently arrested around 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Moffat County Fairgrounds by Moffat County Sheriff’s Office deputy Alec Brown, records state.
He is being held on a $5,000 bond.
The warrant was executed in relation to a June 7, 2011, sentencing in which Tarango was found guilty on two counts of illegally importing livestock and ordered to pay fines and costs.
To date Tarango has not complied with the order, according to court records.
Tarango was arrested in December 2010 on suspicion of illegally transporting racehorses from Mexico to Moffat County infected with Equine Piroplasmosis.
Equine Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that can affect a horse’s central nervous system.
It was the first confirmed case of Equine Piroplasmosis in the State of Colorado.
Investigators began looking into a need for a bench warrant in May when Tarango appeared before the Craig City Council seeking approval for liquor and retail gaming licenses for a proposed nightclub in Craig.
Tarango’s applications were denied by city officials when a criminal background check revealed he failed to declare the livestock conviction and another 2011 conviction for disorderly conduct.
Councilors already had denied liquor and retail gaming applications in March when Tarango failed to declare that between 2000 and 2010 his driver’s license had been suspended on four different occasions — once in 2000 for a driving while ability impaired conviction and three times for failure to pay child support.
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday Tarango had not posted bond and was still in custody at Moffat County Jail.
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