Pasco man wanted on $500k for shooting his ex’s boyfriend

A 26-year-old Pasco man has been charged with shooting his ex’s new boyfriend after visiting his children.

Jaime Balderas remains on the lam one month after allegedly shooting Victor H. Maldonado-Iniguez three times.

At least one bullet pierced the man’s lung but he survived.

Balderas, who also goes by Jamie, is wanted on a $500,000 warrant.

He was charged this week in Franklin County Superior Court with attempted second-degree murder and first-degree unlawful gu possession.

Prosecutors say Balderas is not allowed to own or have a gun because of a prior robbery conviction.

According to court documents, Balderas showed up at the 1529 W. Yakima St. home of his former girlfriend on Jan. 11 to see his kids.

Emily Sanchez said her current boyfriend Maldonado-Iniguez later asked Balderas a question in Spanish. That’s when Balderas pulled out a gun, shot Maldonado-Iniguez and ran from the apartment, documents said.

Maldonado-Iniguez was being loaded into the ambulance when he said Balderas was the alleged shooter.

A few days later, Pasco detectives interviewed the victim while he was recovering at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.

Maldonado-Iniquez said he stepped outside the apartment to give Sanchez and Balderas some privacy to talk.

“He said they were arguing and he thought it was over taxes or something, but they were getting louder and louder so he went to step in,” Deputy Prosecutor Laura Mapes wrote in court documents. “As soon as he opened the door he said that Jaime shot him three times and then fled.”

Officer Ana Ramos took Sanchez, 26, to the police station to talk to her about what had happened.

Ramos checked Sanchez to make sure she didn’t have weapons or anything else before getting into the patrol car. Ramos allegedly found 228 grams of meth in two large bags and Sanchez was arrested for methamphetamine possession.

Her trial is scheduled April 17 in Franklin County.

Meanwhile, police are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of Balderas to call dispatchers at 509-628-0333 or email Detective Corey Smith at smithc@pasco-wa.gov about case PP19-01015.

Balderas is described as 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo on the right arm of a grim reaper with an angel.

This story was originally published February 14, 2019 at 12:46 PM.