On Monday, John Paul Zapata, Great Bend, pled guilty and no contest to a host of charges, ranging from drugs to resisting arrest, stemming from a May 8 afternoon-long standoff with Barton County law enforcement. As a result, he was sentenced to 40 months in Kansas Department of Corrections custody.

Also on Monday, 20th Judicial District Magistrate Judge Verle Willey signed a furlough order, releasing the 34-year-old Zapata, who was being held in the Barton County Jail, for 48 hours “to get his affairs in order before being sentenced to Kansas Department of Corrections.” He was to have turned himself back in by 10 a.m. Wednesday.

However, he did not return to jail and remains at large, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said. 

He is described as a five-foot-six white male weighing 175 pounds. He is slim, has short black hair, brown eyes, a partial beard, and numerous tattoos on his face, arms, hands and neck.

“The Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Zapata,” Bellendir said. He has a history of resisting arrest and has been known to have firearms in his possession. 

“If anyone has information as to the whereabouts of John Paul Zapata please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300,” he said.

It was also noted in the order that Zapata “shall at all times continue to be in the custody of the Barton County sheriff. Any violation of the order “may subject the defendant to prosecution for additional charges, including but not limited to, escape from custody.”

The Sheriff’s Office did not have input as to the plea agreement that included the furlough deal, Bellendir noted

Background

Zapata was arrested that May afternoon on multiple charges after interfering with Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies. They had attempted to execute arrest warrants for him at a residence north of the city. 

According to Bellendir, deputies had three felony warrants for Zapata, and on the afternoon of May 8, they attempted to execute them at 260 N. Washington, just north of the City of Great Bend. They were unable to make contact with him. 

“While deputies were at the location, Zapata took photographs of the Sheriff’s vehicles setting outside of his residence and sent them to other people. These other individuals promptly notified the Sheriff’s Office, confirming Zapata was inside the house. Zapata also stated in his text messages law enforcement was going to have to come in and get him. Deputies continued to knock and announce their presence and Zapata refused to come to the door. A search warrant was obtained, and deputies repeatedly tried to make contact by voice and telephone. Zapata refused to cooperate.”

According to Bellendir, the Sheriff’s office has executed search warrants at this residence before resulting in recovery of guns, methamphetamine and currency. The Sheriff’s office was hesitant to make a forced entry immediately. 

“Teargas was deployed twice,” he said. “Sheriff’s officers forced entry and after a thorough search of the house Zapata was found hiding in a crawlspace to avoid the effects of the teargas.”

After further refusal to comply with the arrest warrants, several Sheriff’s deputies entered the crawlspace and removed him. 

Zapata was placed under arrest at about 5 p.m. and transported to the Barton County Jail and booked on charges of interference with a law enforcement officer and criminal threat in addition to the felony warrants: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, felony warrant for domestic battery, stalking as well as violation of the PFA and other charges. Zapata is being held without bond on one of the felony warrants and various bonds amounts on the other charges.”

Bellendir confirmed Zapata is also known as John Zapata-Beltran. And, on March 4, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s office daily report, John Zapata-Beltran, was booked for distribution of methamphetamine, aggravated child endangerment, possession of drug distribution paraphernalia and money laundering. He was released later that day on a $20,000 surety bond.  A search warrant was executed early that morning at the 260 N. Washington residence.

Further back, on Sept. 13, 2019, Barton County Sheriff’s Office contacted Zapata at the N. Washington residence where he was arrested then on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.  That action was part of a raid conducted at several locations in the county. 

According to The Great Bend Tribune’s “On the Record” report of Sept. 13, 2019, Zapata was booked into the Barton County Jail on charges of criminal possession of a firearm and felony in possession of firearm, with bond set at $300,000. He was released on a surety bond on Sept. 19.