TV bounty hunter seeking Western Slope fugitives

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Duane “Dog” Chapman vows to bite hard over the next few days in Grand Junction.

Chapman, star of the A&E reality television show “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” strutted into the Mesa County Justice Center at about 4 p.m. Wednesday and left about 30 minutes later with what he claimed to be a list of 12 to 14 local fugitives he said he’ll be targeting over the coming days.

He said the bulk of the cases are related to methamphetamine.

“It’ll take about a week,” Chapman said, who was shadowed by a four-person film crew, his wife, Beth, along with sons and fellow bounty hunters, Leland and Duane Lee.

“Meth has made it to Mesa County,” Chapman said.

Chapman declined to say who recruited him to work in Grand Junction.

“They’re law-abiding citizens,” he assured.

Chapman and his crew rolled up in a pair Chevy Suburban SUVs, parked in front of the Justice Center, before meeting privately for about 15 minutes in office of Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Rubinstein.

Chapman and Rubinstein then visited the chambers of District Judge Valerie Robison before Chapman left.

Rubinstein said he learned of Chapman’s pending visit early on Wednesday but wouldn’t say who obtained Chapman’s services locally.

Rubinstein said he’s “happy” Chapman is in town to hunt “one of our fugitives.”

“I have no information as far as how few, or many, people that Dog the Bounty Hunter may be after,” Rubinstein said.

Chapman and his entourage brought work to a standstill in various sections of the Justice Center late Wednesday.

Dozens of staff with the first-floor clerk’s office and second-floor probation workers left their desks, many of them thumbing around the camera feature on their cell phones.

A sheriff’s deputy was called to the second floor to handle a minor reported disturbance related to Chapman’s arrival — the call proved unfounded.

“It’s crazy, man,” Aaron Jimenez, a local resident at the facility on his own business, said while aiming his camera phone.

Jayson Haedrich, a producer with Chapman’s show, said episodes typically air two to three months after a fugitive’s capture.

District Attorney Pete Hautzinger said he didn’t know in advance Chapman was planning a visit to his office.