Rogelio Rosas, 31, of Rio Rancho, was summoned Oct. 27 for unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, which took place Oct. 13 at Chili’s at Unser Blvd. and Southern Blvd.

Officers were called to the restaurant on a call of a vehicle burglary in progress where the caller said a man was going through a car in the parking lot. He was last seen going into the drainage ditch tunnel on the east side of Chili’s.

When officers arrived, the identified Rosas as the suspect. He told officers the car he was going through is his wife’s and showed officers the car keys to the vehicle. Rosas then walked to the vehicle with the officers and showed that the keys were for the vehicle and he was in possession of it. At this point, officers spotted Rosas with a piece of foil that was fashioned in a way that is consistent with fentanyl use.

They then brought a K9 specialty unit to the scene. The dog indicated the possibility of narcotics, leading officers to request a search warrant for the vehicle.

On Oct. 20, officers spoke with the owner of the vehicle, who said that two days before, her vehicle had been stolen by Rosas, who was a friend of hers. When she picked Rosas up from a friend’s house, and argument began during a stop at a gas station. While she was inside, Rosas threw her belongings out of the vehicle and drove away. She had not been in contact with him since.

She attempted to enter the vehicle as stolen through the Rio Rancho Police Department; however, the call for service was mistakenly canceled by dispatch, resulting in no officers contacting her.

If convicted, Rosas will serve 1 1/2-9 years, depending on the value of the vehicle.