Sheriff in Northern Colorado issues alert about a potentially hazardous individual whom he was compelled to discharge from custody
Article Title: Weld County Sheriff Warns Public About Released Inmate Accused of Violent Attacks
In a recent development, Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams has issued a warning to the public about the release of Debisa Ephraim, a 21-year-old man accused of violent attacks. Ephraim, a refugee who arrived in the United States from Tanzania, was held in Weld County before being deported abroad.
Ephraim was arrested and booked into the Weld County Jail in April, where he had been living until his release due to House Bill 24-1034. This legislation, signed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2024, aims to provide mental health care to those deemed incompetent. However, it leaves a void for those who do not qualify for the mental health program and are then released without further attention.
The case of Debisa Ephraim is the first in the Weld County Jail to fall through the cracks due to House Bill 24-1034. Ephraim was deemed incompetent to stand trial, leading to his release under the legislation. Reams, the Weld County Sheriff, knows of multiple other agencies facing similar issues.
Ephraim is accused of being involved in at least two violent attacks on Northern Colorado men. Videos provided by WCSO show two fights that Reams linked to Ephraim, ending in men being knocked unconscious. In the videos, Ephraim is seen knocking men out and punching them repeatedly while unconscious.
Despite being technically never acquitted or found guilty of the serious charges he faced, Ephraim could not be prosecuted for deportation due to the violent video evidence released by Reams. This has raised concerns about the safety of the public, with Reams calling for a special session with the governor to address the loophole in the law, referring to it as a "get out of jail free" card for those accused of violent crimes.
Another example of this issue is an Aurora case involving Solomon Galligan, a convicted sex offender whose charges were dropped due to incompetency after he was accused of trying to abduct a child from a park.
Dillon Thomas, the reporter covering the story, can be reached for story ideas at [email protected]. The public is urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the local authorities.
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