Adams County Sheriff’s Office

 

Sheriff Douglas Barger

Undersheriff Kevin Fuhr

 

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                                                                                                                                                PR05-0010

March 3, 2005

PRESS RELEASE

Update to PR5-009

On March 1, 2005, with assistance from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Unit, Jorge Alaniz, the suspect involved in the shooting of Deputy Jeff Lane, was fingerprinted and a records check was done.  The fingerprints revealed that Alaniz is an AKA for Florentino Silva Barajas, age 42, and that Barajas has an extensive criminal history.   Barajas has used several other AKA’s including Florentino Barajas, Florentino Barajas-Silva, and Alberto Silva.  The criminal history includes crimes from 1980 to 2003.  Barajas has been charged and convicted of several felony drug charges in the states of Washington and Minnesota, had a felony charge for assault with a knife that was dismissed, and has also been deported by INS on at lease one occasion.

 

A toxicology report revealed that Barajas had narcotics in his system at the time of the incident. 

 

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is asking that Barajas be charged with two counts of attempted 1st Degree Murder with firearms enhancement and one count of 1st Degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.  The Adams County Prosecutor’s Office will issue a press release when formal charges are filed, either today or tomorrow. 

 

Deputy Jeff Lane continues to be on Administrative Leave until the Grant County Sheriff’s Office completes the investigation.  Deputy Lane continues to recover from his leg injury.

 

The second Adams County Deputy involved in the shooting, Deputy Dale Wagner, and the Othello Police Officer involved in the shooting, Officer Jerry Dobson, are also on Administrative Leave until the investigation is complete.  

 

 

Sheriff Douglas Barger