PHOENIX, AZ (February 15, 2013) – Joseph J. Sandoval (D.O.B. 8/21/85) will spend the rest of his life in prison for engaging in a lengthy gun battle with police in a Phoenix trailer park in 2011. Today, the Honorable Karen Potts sentenced Sandoval to serve multiple terms totaling 87 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections. He must serve 72 before he is eligible for any possible release.

“Today’s sentence marks a fitting end to this defendant’s criminal career and forecloses any chance that he will ever walk free or further threaten the members of our community,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “This case is also a disturbing reminder of the extreme danger our law enforcement partners face in their daily task of ensuring public safety,” he added.

On November 26, 2011, Phoenix Police Officers responded to a 911 call about a suspected trespassing at an abandoned trailer in a trailer park located on the 3000 block of East Van Buren Street. Officers Anthony Daley and Travis Aguirre responded to the scene and saw a number of people who turned and ran away as they saw the police vehicle approach. Joseph Sandoval ran toward trailer #11, the subject of the 911 call. As the officers approached the abandoned trailer, moving in a “cover” fashion with weapons drawn, they noticed boarded up windows and doors. Officer Daley yelled towards the trailer for the occupant to come out and identified himself as a police officer. He then holstered his weapon in order to pull himself into the dilapidated trailer and investigate.

Once Officer Daley was inside, Sandoval emerged from behind a counter and fired a handgun several times, striking the officer in the abdomen and right leg. Daley was able to retreat and was subsequently transported to a local hospital as additional officers and an air unit arrived on the scene. As the other officers surrounded the trailer, Sandoval fired on them and struck a nearby occupied trailer where children were hiding.

After a standoff of more than three hours, Sandoval surrendered. Officer Daley suffered life-threatening wounds and was unable to return to full duty for months. A bullet that came to rest next to his spine remains in his body to this day. On December 2, 2011, a Grand Jury charged Sandoval with Attempted First Degree Murder and multiple counts of Aggravated Assault, Discharge of a Firearm and Endangerment. After a nine day trial, a jury found Sandoval guilty on all counts and 65 factors in aggravation.

The sentence imposed today by Judge Potts includes 27 years for the Attempted Murder.

Here is a breakdown of the sentencing. It is complicated and took the court some time to explain.

Ct. 1 - 27 years for the attempted murder of officer Anthony Daley
Ct. 2 - 21 years concurrent for Aggravated Assault on Officer Daley
Ct. 3 - 24 years consecutive to count 1 for Aggravated Assault on Officer Travis Aguirre
Ct. 4 thru 6 - 21 years consecutive to count 3 but concurrent to each other for Aggravated Assaults on officers John Childress, Bassam Ghani and John Bradshaw
Ct. 7 - 10 years for misconduct involving weapons
Ct. 8 - 11.25 for discharge at a structure
Ct. 9 - 11.25 for discharge at a structure
Ct. 10 - 15.75 years consecutive to count 4 for discharge at an occupied structure Izaguirre Family
Ct. 11 thru 16 - 4.25 years all endangerment counts involving Izaguirre Children
Ct. 18 - 3.75 for tampering with evidence

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