On May 6, 2026, at approximately 2:49 PM, a call came into the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Communications Center reporting a burglary in progress at a home in the 1200 block of Maxwell Street in the Stratmoor Valley area of unincorporated El Paso County.
The reporting party described a suspect wearing a black or blue sweater and driving a blue four-door car.
Patrol deputies responded to the scene while a Detective with the Intelligence-Based Operations Center (IBOC) launched a Drone as a First Responder (DFR). The drone arrived in approximately three minutes, and Detectives observed the suspect walking near the front of the residence and loading boxes into a blue Saturn sedan.
IBOC Detectives provided responding deputies with an accurate suspect description and real-time location updates. Detectives informed deputies when the suspect got in her car and was about to leave. Deputies intercepted the suspect before she could flee the area.
The investigation revealed 43-year-old April Gonzalez unlawfully entered a residence, stole several items, and loaded them into her vehicle.
“Technology continues to be a valuable tool in helping deputies respond quickly, track suspects in real time, and hold criminals accountable,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “Tools like our Drone as a First Responder program enhance officer safety and leverage technology in greater ways to solve criminal activity and provide justice for victims.”
April Gonzalez was booked into the El Paso County Jail on the following charges:
-Second Degree Burglary
-Theft
Per state statutory guidelines, Gonzalez was later released on a Personal Recognizance (PR) bond.