The following arrest summaries are based on probable cause affidavits filed in 5th District Court and reflect allegations made by law enforcement at the time of arrest. The allegations have not been proven in court, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The following Cedar City arrest reports include arrests and bookings reported by law enforcement agencies in Iron County from Oct. 2 through Oct. 5, 2026.
OCTOBER 2
DAWN RACHELLE GONZALES, 60,
AND RICARDO FLEURMOND, 38
Arresting Agency: Cedar City Police Department
Charges: Each faces five first-degree felonies, including three counts of identity fraud involving $5,000 or more, theft by receiving and pattern of unlawful activity; and seven second-degree felonies, including three counts of possession of forgery writing/device, attempted unlawful use of a financial card, unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial card, unlawful possession of identification documents belonging to others and attempted theft.
Cedar City police arrested Gonzales and Fleurmond following an alleged bank fraud attempt at State Bank of Southern Utah on Interstate Drive. Bank employees reported a woman was attempting to access another person’s account using a military identification card bearing someone else’s name. Investigators allege the pair intended to obtain nearly $9,000 from the account.
Police learned similar fraud attempts had reportedly occurred earlier that day in St. George and Hurricane. Officers arriving at the Cedar City bank stopped a white Nissan matching the description of a vehicle connected to the Hurricane incident and identified Fleurmond as the driver while Gonzales remained inside the bank.
Investigators later compared the military ID allegedly found with Gonzales to a false military ID reportedly used during an attempted withdrawal at an Altabank in St. George. According to the affidavit, the two IDs contained the same photograph but different names.
Police reported recovering forged identification and financial cards, identifying information belonging to multiple people and more than $17,000 in cash allegedly connected to a similar fraud in California. Gonzales allegedly admitted participating in fraud offenses in multiple states. Investigators allege the pair is connected to a larger nationwide organized fraud operation involving additional suspects and reported that the charges were enhanced based on those allegations.
The Zion Times is investigating the broader alleged fraud operation and will have more on this case.
OCTOBER 3
ROBERT JERAK ELLISON, 29
Arresting Agency: Cedar City Police Department
Charges: Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor; criminal trespass, threat of violence and interfering with a peace officer, all class B misdemeanors; public intoxication, a class C misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, an infraction.
Cedar City police arrested Robert Jerak Ellison, 29, early Saturday after three juveniles flagged down an officer on North Cedar Boulevard and reported that a man had flashed a strobe light at them and threatened to hit them.
The officer located the man in the gated front yard of a nearby residence, where he allegedly refused commands to identify himself or leave the property. According to the probable cause affidavit, he shouted obscenities at officers and ran when they entered the yard before being taken to the ground and handcuffed.
Residents reportedly told police Ellison did not live at the home and had previously been told he was not allowed there. They also said he had been intoxicated throughout the day.
TJERIPO SHADUKA, 28
Arresting Agency: Utah Highway Patrol
Charges: DUI, first offense in 10 years, a class B misdemeanor; speeding and failure to operate within a single lane, both infractions.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper arrested Shaduka after reportedly observing his vehicle drifting in and out of its lane and fluctuating in speed while traveling on Coal Creek and Industrial Road. During the traffic stop, the trooper reported smelling alcohol and noted that Shaduka’s eyes were red, bloodshot and glassy.
Shaduka allegedly told the trooper he had consumed two beers before later changing that number to three. He was arrested following field sobriety testing and a positive preliminary breath test. According to the probable cause affidavit, a subsequent breath test reportedly showed an alcohol concentration of .186.
GINA DAWN BENELL, 49
Arresting Agency: Utah Highway Patrol
Charges: Impaired driving, a class B misdemeanor; open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor; and speeding 100 mph or more, an infraction.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper arrested Benell after reportedly clocking her SUV traveling 100 mph on southbound Interstate 15 near mile marker 51. During the traffic stop, the trooper reported smelling alcohol and noted that Benell’s eyes were extremely red, bloodshot and glassy.
Benell was arrested following field sobriety testing and a positive preliminary breath test. According to the probable cause affidavit, a search of the vehicle revealed bottles of Baileys and Skrewball whiskey, and a subsequent breath test allegedly showed a blood alcohol concentration of .103.
DENNIS MICHAEL HEESACKER, 76
Arresting Agency: Iron County Sheriff’s Office
Charge: Emergency reporting abuse — inappropriate use of 911, a class A misdemeanor.
Iron County sheriff’s deputies arrested Heesacker after he allegedly made multiple 911 calls over a 24-hour period for incidents deputies determined were not emergencies.
According to the probable cause affidavit, deputies first responded to a reported domestic incident that was determined to be a civil matter. Heesacker later called 911 to report a theft and was advised to use the non-emergency number unless he had an actual emergency.
Despite the warning, Heesacker reportedly called 911 again requesting a keep-the-peace response. Deputies were later dispatched back to the residence after a neighbor called 911 and reported that Heesacker had told him family members were threatening him. The affidavit states the response tied up five deputies and two Utah Highway Patrol troopers while other calls for service were placed on hold.
DIEGO PALESTINO-MARTINEZ, 24,
AND LUIS PALESTINO-ROSAS, 29
Arresting Agency: Iron County Sheriff’s Office
Charges: Each faces 20 third-degree felonies, including 18 counts of unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial card and two counts of prohibited dangerous-weapon conduct. Palestino-Martinez also faces seven class A misdemeanors, including four counts of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, two counts of unlawful possession of another person’s identification documents and speed contest or exhibition on a highway; three class B misdemeanors, including two counts of use of drug paraphernalia and reckless driving; two class C misdemeanors for operating a vehicle without insurance and open container in a vehicle; and three infractions for following another vehicle too closely, failure to signal and improper lane change. Palestino-Rosas also faces one second-degree felony for producing or transferring false identification; four class A misdemeanors, including two counts of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance and two counts of unlawful possession of another person’s identification documents; two class B misdemeanors for possession of a Schedule III-V controlled substance or marijuana and use of drug paraphernalia; and one class C misdemeanor for open container in a vehicle.
Iron County sheriff’s deputies arrested Diego Palestino-Martinez, 24, and Luis Palestino-Rosas, 29, after a traffic stop on Interstate 15 allegedly uncovered suspected drugs, dozens of financial cards and more than $30,000 in cashier’s checks.
According to the probable cause affidavits, a deputy was traveling south on I-15 when he reportedly saw a silver Honda Accord, driven by Palestino-Martinez with Palestino-Rosas in the passenger seat, make an abrupt lane change and rapidly accelerate before coming within about a car length of another vehicle. The deputy reported seeing several more unsafe lane changes and near collisions before stopping the Honda near mile marker 45.
During the stop, Palestino-Rosas reportedly told the deputy he owned the Honda and that it was uninsured. Deputies decided to impound the vehicle and allegedly found an open bottle of Patron while conducting an inventory. A subsequent search reportedly uncovered suspected methamphetamine and cocaine, drug paraphernalia, numerous financial cards and identification documents.
Deputies also reported finding 18 cashier’s checks totaling $30,710.01 inside a backpack in the trunk, along with a W-2 and vehicle title belonging to someone else. Two daggers were also allegedly recovered.
The investigation later led deputies to a Cedar City hotel where the men were reportedly staying. Search warrants were obtained for their rooms, where deputies allegedly found additional controlled substances.
The Zion Times is investigating the alleged financial crimes and will have more on this case.
OCTOBER 4
DAWSON BLAINE ROBB, 22
Arresting Agency: Utah Highway Patrol
Charges: DUI, first offense in 10 years, a class B misdemeanor; open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor; and failure to operate within a single lane and failure to signal for two seconds, both infractions.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper arrested Robb after reportedly observing his Ford Ranger leave the parking lot of the Warehouse Bar and Kitchen in Cedar City before drifting into the opposing side of the roadway and repeatedly crossing lane markings.
During the traffic stop, the trooper reported smelling alcohol and noted that Robb’s speech was slurred, his eyes were red, bloodshot and glassy, and he appeared unsteady. Robb allegedly denied drinking.
Robb was arrested following field sobriety testing and a positive preliminary breath test. According to the probable cause affidavit, a subsequent Intoxilyzer test showed a breath alcohol concentration of .120.
ASHTON SLYVESTER STEHNO, 34
Arresting Agency: Cedar City Police Department
Charges: Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, first or second offense, a class A misdemeanor; and use of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
Cedar City police arrested Stehno early Sunday after receiving a report of a man yelling and acting as though he may be under the influence of drugs. The caller told dispatch the man might also be inside his truck.
Officers arrived shortly before 3 a.m. and found Stehno in a brown Ford F-250. According to the probable cause affidavit, Stehno stepped out of the truck and told officers he had been running from two mountain lions and that a woman standing on a corner had told him to run. Officers reported there had been no mountain lion sightings in the city and found neither mountain lions nor anyone else at the scene.
When asked whether the truck belonged to him, Stehno allegedly said it did not, pointed toward a nearby house and said it belonged to “that guy.” He was carrying a backpack and reportedly told officers there was nothing inside they needed to be concerned about before giving them permission to search it.
Officers allegedly found a broken light bulb with burned residue, a pen that had been converted into a pipe, a torch, lighters and a black tube containing a white substance the officer believed was methamphetamine. The officer also reported that Stehno’s pupils appeared extremely pinpoint and described his behavior as abnormal, specifically citing his statements about the mountain lions and the woman officers could not find.
WENDELL TAYLOR JESSOP, 51
Arresting Agency: Utah Highway Patrol
Charges: One class B misdemeanor for DUI, first offense in 10 years; one class C misdemeanor for open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle; and one infraction for speeding.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper stopped Jessop after allegedly clocking his Ford Bronco traveling 44 mph on Center Street in Cedar City.
The trooper reported smelling alcohol and observing that Jessop’s eyes were red and watery. Jessop performed field sobriety tests and provided a preliminary breath sample that reportedly indicated an alcohol concentration of .06.
During a search of the vehicle, the trooper reported finding a tumbler containing an alcoholic beverage.
BRIANNA NICOLE NEILSON, 25
Arresting Agency: Cedar City Police Department
Charges: Four third-degree felonies, including one count of aggravated assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child; one class A misdemeanor for criminal mischief; and two class B misdemeanors for threat of violence and assault.
Cedar City police arrested Neilson after a man came forward Oct. 3 and reported multiple domestic violence incidents, including allegations that she physically assaulted him, caused more than $1,000 in property damage and threw a knife at him.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Neilson allegedly punched and struck the man during one incident before reportedly biting his hand hard enough to break the skin. Police said the alleged assault was documented through photographs of his injuries and video from the incident.
During a separate incident, Neilson allegedly damaged several items inside a residence, causing an estimated $1,030 in damage. The confrontation reportedly escalated when she threatened to stab the man while holding a knife and then threw it toward him, forcing him to move out of the way. Police reported the threat and the knife being thrown were captured on video.
Neilson later allegedly admitted throwing the knife but told police she did so to get him away from her. She was arrested the following day.
MACEY BROOKE JENSEN, 25
Arresting Agency: Cedar City Police Department
Charges: One class A misdemeanor for assault; one class C misdemeanor for public intoxication; and one infraction for disorderly conduct.
Cedar City police arrested Jensen early Monday after responding to a report of two women fighting inside an apartment. The caller told dispatch the fight had become physical and that people could be heard being hit.
When officers arrived, they found one woman outside the apartment crying, stumbling and asking for help. According to the probable cause affidavit, officers observed redness and swelling on her face, scrapes and discoloration on her thigh and discoloration on her elbow. She told police she and Jensen had been pushing and hitting each other but said she could not remember who struck first. She also acknowledged punching Jensen in the face.
Officers located Jensen several blocks away on foot. She was reportedly stumbling and slurring her words and had red, glassy eyes. Jensen allegedly denied drinking and told officers she was sober and had been attacked for no reason. Police also observed discoloration on the left side of her face but no other apparent injuries.
The responding officer noted she had previously investigated a similar incident involving Jensen and the same woman and had arrested Jensen on Sept. 13. According to the affidavit, the women gave differing accounts of their relationship during the two investigations.
Arrest Statistics
Some arrests involved more than one category of offense.
- Total Arrests: 13
- DUI/Impaired Driving: 4
- Domestic Violence: 2
- Drug Offenses: 3
- Financial/Fraud Offenses: 4
- Weapons Offenses: 2
- Assault/Violent Offenses: 3
- Alcohol-Related Offenses: 5
- Traffic-Related Offenses: 6
- Immigration Detainers: 3
Additional Bookings: Tjeripo Shaduka, whose arrest is summarized above, was also held on an immigration detainer. An immigration detainer is a request from federal immigration authorities asking a local jail to maintain custody of an individual who may otherwise be released so federal authorities can assume custody. Two additional individuals, Luis Arteaga-Cuellar and Martin Arredeondo-Resendiz, were booked on immigration detainers during the reporting period. Probable cause affidavits were not available for those two bookings, so they are not included in the arrest summaries above.
Editor’s Note: Charges and allegations contained in probable cause affidavits represent the basis asserted by law enforcement for an arrest. They are not findings of guilt. Criminal charges may be amended, reduced or dismissed as a case proceeds through the court system.
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