CORRECTION — On Thursday, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office issued a correction to a media release concerning the March 13 arrest of Jason Bender in Rock Springs. Monday’s release should have read: “During the investigation, detectives learned Bender has past convictions in Colorado for assault, sexual assault, and failure to register as a sex offender.”
ORIGINAL POST
ROCK SPRINGS — A Colorado man was arrested Monday in Rock Springs during a traffic stop following a surveillance operation.
Sheriff Mike Lowell reports the arrest of Jason Scott Bender, age 44, of Sheridan, Colorado.
Early Monday morning, county detectives developed information that Bender had been living in Rock Springs for some time and began an investigation into Bender’s alleged failure to register locally as a convicted sex offender, as required by Wyoming state law. During the investigation, detectives learned Bender had a lengthy criminal history including past felony convictions for sexual assault and violence against law enforcement officers.
By mid-morning on Monday, detectives assigned to the Sheriff’s Narcotics and Arrest Group, a specialized unit of county detectives dedicated to drug enforcement and fugitive apprehension cases setup a surveillance operation on Bender’s last known physical address, just in time to spot Bender leaving the area in a vehicle.
At approximately 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon, SNAAG detectives, in concert with other county detectives and Sheriff’s patrol deputies, arrested Bender without incident during a traffic stop on the west-end of Rock Springs.
Bender remains in custody at Sweetwater County Detention Center on suspicion of failure to register as a sex offender, awaiting his initial appearance in court.
In Wyoming, failure to register as a sex offender is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.
The United States Department of Justice maintains the national NCIC sex offender registry website. All of Wyoming’s registered sex offenders’ photographs and other information are posted on the Division of Criminal Investigation’s website.
At present, there are approximately 110 registered sex offenders living in Sweetwater County.
Sheriff Lowell credits a cooperative effort by Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Springs Police Department, and Sweetwater County Attorney’s Office in effecting this arrest, and thanks to the community for its continued support.
Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office reminds citizens all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
