Posted on: May 26, 2023
(Phoenix) – Today, the office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the indictment of Dave Jacuan Kahlil Dinkins (DOB 10/99)*. Dinkins is facing a total of four counts including first degree murder, a class one dangerous felony; ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 22, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that a county grand jury has indicted Zion William Teasley (01/01) with one count of first-degree murder, a class one dangerous felony.*
Teasley was arrested and booked i...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2023
(Phoenix) – Today, Maricopa Superior Court Judge Michael Blair sentenced a Gilbert man to 25 years in prison for the September 2017 murder of his wife. Mark Eric Ponsati (DOB 04/81) was charged with one count of second-degree murder and was sent...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 17, 2023
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has received permission from the court to unseal and disclose the attached Grand Jury Indictment against Lori Vallow for the matter that took place in Gilbert, Arizona on Oct. 2, 2019. The office will provid...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2023
(Phoenix) –The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has announced the indictment of Rudy Gomez (DOB 09/93). Gomez now faces eight felony counts including three counts of aggravated assault, class three felonies; four counts of enda...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 8, 2023
Maricopa County continues to see dramatic rise in prosecution of fentanyl-related cases
(Phoenix) – In Arizona, an average of five people die every day from an opioid overdose according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Meantime, Arizo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 26, 2023
(Phoenix) – When we hear about crime, most often the stories are about catching or prosecuting the bad guys responsible. Yet, there is another large group of people who are deeply affected: the victims of those crimes.
This year, April 23 through 29, 2023 ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 21, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell today announced the sentencing of Christopher John Garcia (DOB 09/88).
On October 14, 2017, Garcia carjacked a vehicle driven by a woman who was 30-weeks pregnant. During...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 17, 2023
It's time for some Spring cleaning! Join the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and the Chandler Police Department for a Shred-A-Thon and Prescription Drug Take-Back on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College. He...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 11, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced defendant Bryan Patrick Miller (DOB 10/72) has been found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, dangerous class one felonies, two counts of kidnapping, ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 27, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced today that a judge has sentenced the last of four defendants in the 2022 armed robbery of a Glendale jewelry store. Defendants Gary Wayne Freeny (11/95), Monta...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 27, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, in partnership with Tempe Union High School District and the Tempe Police Department, hosted a fentanyl educational forum on Tuesday, March 21. The event was held at McClintock High School and was gear...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 14, 2023
Yesterday, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed the following motions with the Arizona Supreme Court.
County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated, “As County Attorney, I took an oath to uphold the US Constitution and the constitution and laws of the Stat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 3, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced today that Edward Maldonado (02/75) was sentenced to six years in prison. As part of his sentencing, Maldonado will be required to register as a lifetime sex offender an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 3, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced today that a county grand jury has indicted Diego Miguel Garcia (09/99) with one count of first degree murder, a class one dangerous crime against children and one count...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has reviewed the report submitted by Goodyear Police involving Pedro Quintana-Lujan and have furthered it back to law enforcement for additional investigation.
“The deaths of the two cyclists and i...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that a county grand jury has indicted Carlos Eduardo Castro Alcaraz (09/97) with one count of unlawful taking/handling/possession/sale of wildlife, a class six felony, u...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2023
In honor of Black History Month, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office would like to highlight an employee that goes above and beyond in their contributions to the criminal justice system and the community. This coming April highlights the seventh year De...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 23, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has made ending catalytic converter thefts and the prosecution of those who commit this offense a priority for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Today, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced def...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 17, 2023
Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the day I started as a prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. My training class included several other prosecutors still working here today. I was a law clerk before that...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 10, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has indicted former Mesa Police Officer Kaylon Hall for two counts of Endangerment, a Class 6 Dangerous Felony, for an incident that occurred on July 2, 2022.*
During a traffic stop, Hall fired two shots fr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 9, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has sentenced Jaquan Bailey (06/02), Stephon Mitchell (07/02), and Vincent Culbreath (03/82) to serve prison time for their involvement in a 2020 violent crime spree that included armed robberies...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 1, 2023
This month, two outstanding employees retired from MCAO. Juvenile Division Chief Beth Beringhaus and Investigations Division Chief Mark Stribling have had exceptional careers at MCAO and made a lasting impression on the office. Read more about their caree...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 30, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office reviewed a submittal from the Phoenix Police Department for an incident that occurred on Oct. 27, 2022, to determine whether two officers used excessive force when taking a defendant into custody ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 20, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Last week, a Maricopa County judge sentenced Derek V. Minor (1/1949) to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder, a class one dangerous felony and seven years in prison for theft of means of transportation, a class three ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 6, 2023
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Last month, Jamie Leeanne Baltazar (9/1975) pleaded guilty of two counts of theft, class 2 felonies. This week a Maricopa County judge sentenced Baltazar to 10 years in prison to be served in the Arizona Department of Correc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 20, 2022
As 2022 comes to an end, we want to highlight the exceptional work of our employees at MCAO. This year brought about many changes, but our employees remained committed to the office’s mission of holding criminals accountable, protecting victims&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 8, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, Rachel H. Mitchell, a longtime prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO), was sworn in as the newly elected County Attorney. Mitchell was sworn in by Arizona Supreme Court Judge Kathryn H...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 5, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Jakel Huckaby (09/05) and Elena Marie Rodriguez (05/05) have been indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury for nine felony charges.
Huckaby is facing four counts of manslaughter, class two dangerous felonies, one count of aggravated as...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 2, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – In September of 2022, Kevin Todd St. Ledger (07/65) pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a class two dangerous felony, and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, class three dangerous felonie...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 29, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Earlier this month, a Maricopa County Grand Jury indicted Sidney Garfield Garrand (09/74) with seven felony counts. Garrand is facing one count of second-degree murder, a class one felony, one count of attempt to commit second-degree ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 28, 2022
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we want to share the story of Linda Roanhorse, an Office Assistant with the Civil Division. Learn about her experience and Native American Heritage.
Linda Roanhorse was born in Los Angeles, California but was rai...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 24, 2022
Since it was brought back to the office in July 2020, MCAO's Adoption Services Bureau has conducted over 200 adoptions and saved taxpayers over $1 million. Our Adoption Services Bureau comprises three MCAO employees: legal support specialist Ashley Espino...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 22, 2022
In July of this year, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the start of a new Organized Retail Theft Team in response to increased organized retail theft. Organized retail theft refers to groups, gangs, or individuals who illegally obtain re...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 18, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – In September of this year, Devon Ray Sharma (DOB 4/94) pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a class two felony, one count of sex trafficking, a class two dangerous felony, and one count of pandering, a class ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 15, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Last month, Cristian Machado (DOB 6/01) pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to commit sale or transportation of dangerous drugs, a class three felony and one count of possession of narcotic drugs for sale, a class two fel...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 1, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – In August of this year, a Maricopa County jury found defendant J’ssan Carlos Strover (DOB 1/01) guilty of three counts: first degree murder, a class one dangerous felony, attempted first degree murder, a class two dangerous felony and...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 31, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – A collaborative effort between the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the Phoenix Police Department, and the U.S. Marshal’s Office has resulted in the extradition of Miguel Franco-Castañeda(DOB 8/48). Franco-Castañeda is acc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 26, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Last month, defendant Julian Anthony Perry (07/97) pleaded guilty to nine felony charges. Included in his guilty pleas are: four first degree murders, class one felony charges; three armed robberies with a deadly weapon, cla...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 13, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On August 10, 2022 Jessie Ray Luna-Espinoza (DOB 6/89) of Phoenix pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct involving weapons, a class four felony and one count of racing, a class six felony. Earlier this week, a Maricopa Co...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 29, 2022
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Mesa Police and Midas Auto Repair are bringing a free VIN etching event to the residents of Maricopa County. As we see catalytic converter thefts skyrocket throughout our valley streets, our goal is to empower citize...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 23, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is providing a one-hour question and answer panel discussion on fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 19, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On August 24, 2022 Kimberli Guadalupe Torres-Marin (DOB 08/1996) and Alexa Torres-Marin (DOB 08/2003) were arrested after Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputies found over 850,000 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 1, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Violent crime in Maricopa is soaring. Between August 19 and August 29, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office received submittals for 16 homicides. In just ten days, 16 lives were lost to violent crime. Of those cases:
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 31, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Every day in Arizona, an average of five people die from opioid overdose, forcing five families to mourn the loss of a son or daughter, husband or wife, mother or father. Opioid and fentanyl addiction is plaguing communities across th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 29, 2022
The Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory council provides training and education to prosecutors throughout Arizona. Every year the council hosts a conference recognizing those who’ve made a difference in the world of criminal justice. This year, Marico...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 24, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) According to the US Department of Justice, animal cruelty crimes can serve as a precursor to more violent crimes and other types of offenses such as domestic violence, assault, and elder abuse. Some studies have referred to animal cruel...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 22, 2022
While catalytic converter theft is not a new crime, we have seen this crime trend grow exponentially in the Valley over the last few years. In 2019, the City of Phoenix reported 70 catalytic converter thefts. Last year, that number jumped to over 4,700 re...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 19, 2022
CR2015-103569-001:
Today, a Judge sentenced Apolinar Altamirano (06/1985) to 38.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by supervised probation upon his release for the 2015 killing of convenience store employee Grant Ronneback.
On a cold...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 16, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On a typical Tuesday, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office receives submittals from law enforcement for two to three homicides to review for charges that occur over the weekend. This past weekend, the numbers hit a record h...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 15, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – In July of 2010, Chandler Police Officer Carlos Ledesma was murdered, and two other officers were injured. The planned armed robbery involved ten co-conspirators, two of whom died that day in addition to Officer Ledesma. The...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 11, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Phoenix police detectives have dismantled a drug trafficking operation based in Mexico. The year-long investigation into drug activity has led to the indictments of 14 member of the drug trafficking organization.
The investig...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 4, 2022
Prosecutors in the MCAO's Drug Enforcement Bureau handle cases that not only deal with drugs and drug trafficking but are often linked to violent crimes such as homicides, kidnapping, and robbery. We are fortunate to have a team of skilled prosec...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 14, 2022
Every section within every bureau in our office plays a vital role in the way MCAO functions within the Criminal Justice System. Each department evolves overtime to integrate the everchanging needs of our society. One of our most dynamic sections that dem...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 11, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – In April of this year, a jury found Hugo Molina-Torres of Mesa guilty of molesting and having sexual conduct with an 11-year-old female. On Friday, a judge sentenced Molina-Torres to life in prison with the possibility of community su...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 8, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Today, Armando Hernandez (DOB 6/99) received the maximum sentence of 44 years in prison for crimes committed during a mass shooting on May 20, 2020 in Glendale, AZ. In April, Hernandez pleaded guilty to two counts of Attempted First-D...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 5, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On June 24, 2022, Rex Shotell Cravat (DOB 3/1976) of Mesa, Arizona received a 20-year sentence with lifetime probation after pleading guilty three counts involving sexual conduct with a minor.
The crime was discovered after the victim ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 30, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Two men have been indicted by a Maricopa County Grand Jury for the shooting of a Phoenix Police Officer on June 14, 2022. Aaron Luther Ware (11/1999) and Ahmani Deshawn Gordon (06/2000) have each been indicted on three felony counts: ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 28, 2022
Every year, holiday weekends see an increase in DUI activity and fatal traffic accidents. Last year, Arizona saw more than 8,000 traffic stops and 400 DUI arrest over the Fourth of July weekend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 27, 2022
Celia Ortiz was a history major at ASU when her career trajectory completely changed. Celia and her twin sister had plans to go to dinner and see a movie when they ended up helping an older woman whose purse had been stolen. “We chased a purse snatcher at...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 21, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – At the direction of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, prosecutors have filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Stephanie M. Davis (DOB: 5/1970) and Thomas J. Desharnais (DOB: 9/1988) if the defendants are co...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 20, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Michael Hakim Cook (2/1989), the suspect in a case of an aggravated assault at a cellphone store in West Phoenix has been served with two indictments issued by a Maricopa County Grand Jury, one for the alleged acts on June 4th and for...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 15, 2022
June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day; a day where we should all take the time to learn how to spot the signs of senior abuse so that we may know what to do to protect this vulnerable population. While studies have found that one in 10 older adults...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 14, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Like every other industry across the country, the criminal justice system is not immune to a shortage of qualified personnel. Currently, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office faces a 20% vacancy across all positions. County ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 6, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – A 72-count indictment has been filed on 24-year-old Manuel Sierra. Sierra is the defendant in the case of 11 drive-by shootings spanning from December 2021 to May 2022 in West and South Phoenix.
In the indictment, prosecutors state Sie...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 6, 2022
Whether you have heard about it through the news, social media, a show, movie, or documentary, the discussion about the opioid epidemic and drug overdoses seems unavoidable. Even with this crisis gaining so much awareness, we are still seeing record-break...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 3, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – On May 27, 2022, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Christopher Hoopes (06/1985) with two felony charges. The charges are the result of the death of Hoopes’ wife, Colleen Hoopes, which occurred in Tempe on May 20, 2022.
Hoopes has be...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 26, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – At a news conference earlier today, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that she will not be filing criminal charges in the shooting death of Anthony Cano on January 2, 2021 by Chandler Police Officer Chase Bebak-Mille...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 26, 2022
Lieutenant Ira Williams’ public service career is a testament to his dedication and commitment to public safety. Lt. Williams started his career with the Phoenix Police Department, graduating from the Police Academy in 1974. He then became a detective and...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 25, 2022
To honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we would like to highlight an employee that makes a difference in and out of the office. Legal Support Supervisor Jolie Panyon is an outstanding member of our MCAO team. In addition to her work ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 23, 2022
May 25th is Missing Children's Day
One of the first missing children to be pictured on the iconic milk cartons was 6-year-old Etan Patz, who disappeared back in 1979 from a New York City street corner. In memory of the day Etan was kidnapped, President Ron...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 12, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Today, Christopher James Mendoza (36) was sentenced to 16 years for six counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a Class 2 Dangerous Felony, and one count of Kidnapping, also a Class 2 Dangerous Felony.
Mendoza was arrested o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2022
Phoenix, Arizona) – County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has announced her leadership team at the County Attorney’s Office. The changes became effective Monday, May 9, 2022.
Paul Ahler has re-joined the office as Chief Deputy. Ahler is a career prosecutor for m...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 10, 2022
Summer may not be here yet, but warmer weather has already arrived in the Valley! According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Spring Outlook report, Arizona is expected to see higher than normal temperatures this summer as drough...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has charged Charles Lee Ryan with two felony charges. The charges are a result of an incident that occurred in Tempe on January 6, 2022. Ryan has been indicted with one count of disorderly conduct involvin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 4, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) – Under the direction of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, prosecutors have filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Clinton Robert Hurley (DOB: 1990) if the defendant is convicted of First-Degree Murder.
On Feb...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 29, 2022
Cold cases have always been a point of interest for the public due to the unknown factors surrounding a case. A cold case is defined as a homicide or a felony sexual offense that remains unsolved for one year or more after being reported to a law enforcem...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 27, 2022
Every year, Maricopa County residents are unexpectedly affected by crime. Crime can impact anyone regardless of age or gender, where they live or work. It doesn't discriminate. While crime is unexpected, Maricopa County residents can count on the County A...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 26, 2022
When honoring our Victim Advocates this week, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the valuable work that our court facility dogs contribute. From accompanying victims to the pre-trial hearings, sentencings, trials, and more, our four-legged emplo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 25, 2022
(Phoenix, Arizona) - Today marks the beginning of National Crime Victim’s Rights Week across our country. The theme this year: Rights, Access, and Equity for all Victims. In Arizona, the 2022 Arizona Crime Victim’s Rights Week celebrated the work of victi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2022
During this National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, we are introducing you to Prosecutor Casey Mundell. Mundell handles all animal abuse and neglect cases. His passion for the proper and just treatment of all animals in Maricopa County is visible...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 20, 2022
With 30 years of experience, Mitchell is ready to restore trust to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
“I am honored the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has faith and trust in my ability to lead one of the largest prosecution offices in the country ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 12, 2022
No one should be a victim of sexual assault, but those that are victims deserve justice. A key component to achieving justice for survivors of sexual assault is DNA evidence. Having DNA evidence can increase the likelihood of a perpetrator being identifie...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 4, 2022
The County Attorney's Office is fortunate to have employees who understand the impact of their work, know the issues our communities are facing, and, when given an opportunity, step up to help.
Last month, MCAO prosecutors Denise O'Rourke, Frank Woods, Aar...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 30, 2022
Wednesday, March 30, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced today the launch of its newest pre-trial diversion program designed specifically for Veterans. The Veterans’ Diversion Program, which will take effect on April 4, 20...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 29, 2022
The work of a prosecutor is complex. Every defendant, victim, and case is unique. Therefore, serving fair and equal justice is different from case to case, and it’s the prosecutor's job to use their expertise, skills, and knowledge of t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 28, 2022
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is proud to announce the return of our Citizens Academy. This free, one-day program provides Maricopa County residents with a behind-the-scenes look at the County Attorney’s Office and the criminal justice system. The...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2022
In addition to prosecution, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office plays many other roles and responsibilities within the criminal justice system. One many don't know about involves the office's own specialized sworn law enforcem...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 15, 2022
Women's History Month is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and the vital role women have played and continue to play in American history. It's also a time to celebrate women who make a difference today!
Dawn Valentine, a Public Reco...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 9, 2022
March 9, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ)- At the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a lot of the work we do takes place behind the scenes and beyond the courtroom. There is an immense amount of work that takes place every day in our office to keep the crimin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 7, 2022
Monday, March 7, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ) – Over seven months ago, individuals in Arizona with certain marijuana-related convictions became eligible to have their criminal records expunged, or cleared, of the conviction, under Proposition 207, the Arizona Safe ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 4, 2022
When people think about the County Attorney's Office, they believe our office is solely made up of prosecutors and only prosecute crimes. While prosecution is a big part of what we do, it's only one of the many responsibilities our office and our employee...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 21, 2022
The work of the County Attorney's Office has an impact beyond the courtroom and affects communities throughout Maricopa County. That's why the office has a team dedicated to helping prevent crime and foster relationships with these communities. In additio...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 14, 2022
Talking to teens about dating can be uncomfortable. Still, honest and meaningful conversations about relationships can make a significant difference for teens navigating friendships, dating, and decision making.
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness M...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 7, 2022
Millions of Americans are affected by identity theft every year. Contrary to popular belief, identity theft can affect anyone regardless of economic status and even age. The last thing you want, especially around tax season, is to have someone steal your ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 1, 2022
Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ) - The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) is proud to announce it is the recipient of approximately $3 million in grants from the Department of Justice to help find justice for victims of crime.
One of the grants wi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 19, 2022
The start of the year provides you with an opportunity to start over and plan for what you want to accomplish in the months ahead. Whether you plan to start a new career, hobby, or make improvements to your health or home, you should leave some space in t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 19, 2022
Did you know the start of the year is one of the best times to find a new job? If you're looking for a career change and have experience or interest in the criminal justice system, consider applying to work at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Curren...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 17, 2022
Everyone can play a role in combating human trafficking. However, some of you may be more likely to spot signs of trafficking because of your place of work. According to the Polaris Project, 75% of survivors that contacted the National Human Trafficking H...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 10, 2022
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Every year, thousands of vulnerable people are exploited for profit in the United States. Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has received over 300,000 contacts via calls, emails, and online chats...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 6, 2022
January 6, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ) – Keep your family safe in the new year by safely ridding your home of personal documents and no-longer needed medication.
Volunteers from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Surprise Police Department will ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 4, 2022
Tuesday, January 4, 2022 (Phoenix, AZ) – Yesterday, a judge sentenced Baudel Alejandro Bermudez, DOB 11/1984, to 34 years in prison for two counts of Child Abuse, a Class 2 Dangerous Crimes Against a Child. Bermudez was sentenced to 17 years for...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 21, 2021
While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect our daily lives this year, our staff’s commitment and dedication to public service remained unchanged. As 2021 comes to an end, we want to highlight the exceptional work of our employees and t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 20, 2021
The two most significant holidays of the year are right around the corner, and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office wants to encourage you to make your safety a priority. The holidays can be stressful and distracting, but our focus should be on the road ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 14, 2021
We are weeks away from the start of the new year, and many of us will use this time to reflect on our accomplishments and milestones and identify areas that could use some work. Although this type of reflection typically brings to mind changes in your car...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 6, 2021
Whether you are traveling or staying home for the holidays, your safety should be a top priority. Now is the perfect time to either make arrangements that keep your property safe while you're away or update safety features in your home so your fa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 29, 2021
Over the last few weeks, cities in the Valley have been plagued by incidents of aggressive driving and road rage, incidents that in some cases have left drivers with injuries and, unfortunately, in others have cost them their lives. Road rage incidents ha...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 22, 2021
Holiday shopping can be stressful. There's a lot on our minds between deciding on the right gift and finding it online or in the store. On top of it all, supply chain issues and material shortages might make it even harder to find the gifts you're looking...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 15, 2021
Do you receive multiple spam calls a day? You're not alone. Last month, Arizona received 88.5 million unwanted calls. That's approximately 2.9 million calls a day, with the average person receiving 12.6 phone calls. Residents receive phone calls about &qu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 10, 2021
Originally meant to celebrate the end of World War I, Veterans Day is now a time for us to honor all who have served and celebrate their contributions and accomplishments to our country.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is lucky to have veterans who w...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 4, 2021
Thursday, November 4, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – After three years of arduous work, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announces the conviction of William James McElroy Jr. McElroy is a dangerous felon who took in a runa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 1, 2021
Moving to a new city or state can be exciting! But are you fully prepared to live safely in your new neighborhood? After you've moved in and crossed every to-do off your checklist, you may be wondering what you should look into next. Once you get settled ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 25, 2021
MCAO employees are constantly making a difference in the courtroom and beyond. For example, this summer, employees from the Juvenile Division partnered with the Hope Women's Center and created a summer mentorship program for teenage girls. The Hope Women'...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 20, 2021
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – Earlier today, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel stood with families and announced a historic agreement to settle with manufacturers and distributors of opioids for their role in unlawfully marketi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 18, 2021
As parents or guardians, it can be challenging to know when to allow kids to go online, much less how to talk to them about it. One thing is certain, the internet isn't going away anytime soon. Any child who uses a device to go online needs guidance from ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 11, 2021
October 11, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is prevalent in our communities and while it tends to happen behind closed doors, the numbers speak volumes about those who fall victim to an aggress...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 4, 2021
Luis Figueroa starts his day by meeting with his team before heading out to walk around the office and check-in with employees to ensure their computers and systems applications are working. "One of the best parts about this job is getting to know em...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 29, 2021
It's easy to think that relationship violence isn't something that would happen to your family. Unfortunately, dating violence among teens and young adults is more prevalent than we think. Approximately 1.5 million teens experience datin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 20, 2021
The National Alliance of Mental Illness shared that teen suicide rates are higher than the national average in Arizona, with 17% of high school students say they've seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. In addition, Teen Lifeline, the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2021
Social media plays a big part in the lives of teens and young adults. Through social media networks, teens can connect with friends, family, their community, and school. For some, social media is also a place they can go to for support and services. These...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 10, 2021
September 10, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – “After a very difficult year for me medically, professionally and personally, I have made the decision to seek treatment for anxiety and to address unhealthy coping behaviors including an eating disorder and alc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 10, 2021
Many can remember precisely where they were when they learned of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since that tragic day. While painful, it's i...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 30, 2021
You may not have seen it, but it's already here. Fentanyl is present and impacting communities across Arizona. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid prescribed to reduce extreme pain and is 100 times stronger than morphine. All types of opioids are addictive and...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 30, 2021
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is committed to helping improve the quality of life in neighborhoods throughout Maricopa County. While most of our work focuses on the aftermath of a crime and the impact it has on victims and communities, it’s just a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 23, 2021
It may seem that a new drug or trend is affecting the lives of children and teens every day. For parents, it's just as important to learn about these issues as it is to take action and talk to their kids. Ignoring the problem or assuming your child isn't ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 19, 2021
Thursday, August 19, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – On August 13, 2021, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Otoniel Navarrete (DOB 10/1985) with one count of MOLESTATION OF A CHILD, A CLASS 2 FELONY Dangerous Crime Against Children, three counts of SEXUA...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 18, 2021
Last month, Deputy County Attorney Veronica Skinner was awarded the Prosecutor of the Year Award by the Arizona Narcotic Officers Association for her significant accomplishments in a large-scale wiretap investigation, prosecutions, trial work, and trainin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 16, 2021
We can't control what happens around us, but we can prepare to keep ourselves safe in an emergency or dangerous situation. Wherever you are and whatever you do, take time to think about your safety and ways you can protect yourself. Safety is most efficie...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 12, 2021
August 12, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) - As the Maricopa County Attorney, I lead an office of nearly 1,000 employees who handle more than 40,000 criminal cases a year. It is my expectation that the actions and decisions made by employees on behalf of this agency a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 9, 2021
This June, DCA Michael “Mike” Baker was recognized at the Arizona Prosecuting Attorney's Advisory Council’s Annual Prosecutor Conference where he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a prosecutor with a disti...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 2, 2021
After completing law school and moving to Arizona, Julie joined the Capital Litigation and Criminal Appeals Sections of the Attorney General’s Office. In 2019, after 13 years with that office, Julie joined MCAO as a Deputy County Attorney with t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 29, 2021
Behind the scenes at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is an intricate system of bureaus, divisions, and employees all working together to support victims' rights and hold criminals accountable. Among these are college and law students getting hands-o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 27, 2021
Last month, the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC) recognized outstanding prosecutors during its Annual Prosecutor Conference. APAAC was created by the Arizona Legislature in 1977, with the primary purpose of providing train...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 26, 2021
Even on mild or cloudy days, temperatures inside parked vehicles can reach life-threatening levels. Unfortunately, vehicular heatstroke continues to take the lives of those most vulnerable in our communities, our children. The three primary circumstances ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 26, 2021
Signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a landmark piece of civil rights legislation and at the time the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilit...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 19, 2021
After a year of being at home, many are looking forward to taking time off this summer and finally traveling and going on vacation. Unfortunately, families aren't the only ones looking forward to vacations. Burglars are ready to take advantage of unlocked...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 12, 2021
We are all responsible for driving safely. Yet when crashes occur, in more than 90 percent of cases, they result from irresponsible driver behavior such as speeding, distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, or driving recklessly. This year, Arizona ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 5, 2021
July is Vehicle Theft Prevention Month
Vehicles are a necessary part of our lives and a significant financial investment, making it devastating to have one stolen, especially during the summer months. In Arizona, a vehicle is stolen every 30 minutes, and a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 29, 2021
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – On June 24, 2021, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Lori N. Vallow with one count of Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, a CLASS 1 FELONY Dangerous, in the death of Charles Vallow.
The indictment sta...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 28, 2021
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not worth the risk. Serious car crashes as a result of impaired driving occur during every major holiday in the United States. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, more people di...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 25, 2021
June 25, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) has filed a Motion to Dismiss Without Prejudice in the case against Jerry Sanstead, the driver who killed Salt River Police Officer Clayton Townsend. (CR2020-00...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 22, 2021
Monday, June 21, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) - On Nov. 3, 2020, voters in Arizona passed Proposition 207, also known as the Smart and Safe Act. The ballot measure legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana by adults 21 and older and beginning July 12, 2021,...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 21, 2021
As temperatures continue to heat up and utility bills increase, scammers impersonating utility companies will use phone calls, text messages, emails, and in-person visits to demand payment for "overdue bills." Falling for this type of scam could...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 15, 2021
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) - The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) has been recognized with two National Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). These awards honor innovative, effective cou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 11, 2021
Friday, June 11, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – “Today the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss all charges stemming from the events of Oct. 17, 2020, with prejudice. It is the decision of this office th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 7, 2021
June is Internet Safety Month. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office wants parents, teachers, and caregivers to learn how to keep their children safe while navigating the online world. As the school year comes to an end and we get ready for summer, review...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 31, 2021
At the peak of the pandemic last year, child abuse reports plummeted, with some agencies reporting a 60% decrease in calls to hotlines and child protective services. In an analysis by the Associated Press, 400,000 fewer child welfare concerns were reporte...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 24, 2021
Six-year-old Etan Patz disappeared on May 25, 1979, while he was on his way to school in New York City. After being reported missing by his mother and an intensive search with more than 100 police officers and bloodhounds, he was never found. Etan's disap...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 17, 2021
A person's development during their childhood and teenage years plays a vital role in shaping the rest of their lives and their decisions as an adult. Unfortunately, if those early years are exposed to multiple risk factors, a young person can find themse...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 10, 2021
Last year voters decided to legalize recreational marijuana use across the state of Arizona. For parents, legalization adds another element of difficulty in teaching and raising kids to be drug-free. After the rise in cases of e-cigarette or vaping-associ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 4, 2021
This month, students in Maricopa County will be crossing the stage to receive their high school or college diploma. As you celebrate this milestone, you might be weighing your options and deciding on a meaningful career that aligns with your goals.
Here at...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 30, 2021
It is often said that victims of crime of victimized twice…once when the crime occurs and again as the person harmed is forced to navigate a complicated criminal justice system in order to ensure the offender is held accountable.
No doubt, our system of ju...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 29, 2021
Thursday, April 29, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – With temperatures rising in the Valley, families and caregivers need to take extra safety precautions to prevent leaving children and pets in cars. Outdoor temperatures do not need to be extreme for an ex...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 26, 2021
This National Crime Victims’ Rights Week we want to highlight those at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office that help make a difference by supporting crime victims. Aisha Robertson from the Victim Services Division does just that.
As a Legal Support Assis...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2021
To read County Attorney Allister Adel's response to letter from ACLU please click below.
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2021
The Victim Bill of Rights was a landmark amendment that opened the door for many to share their story in the courtroom after experiencing a crime. While many think that a victim is just the person the crime occurred to, it is much more encompassing.
As par...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 19, 2021
In our last article, we learned about the history of victim's rights and how they changed the way crime victims participate in the criminal justice system. Unlike the defendant's rights, few people know their rights as victims and lack a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 12, 2021
Every year millions of people fall victim to crime in the United States. While crime can vary, its impact affects not only the victim but also their family and community. In addition to the trauma of the actual crime, participating in the criminal justice...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 5, 2021
April 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Although this commemoration has only been around twenty years, efforts to raise awareness of sexual assault date back to the civil rights era. The movement and consequential awarenes...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 30, 2021
Earlier today, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel testified before the Arizona House of Representatives Appropriations Committee in support of SB1064. The strike everything amendment (earned release; credits; prisoners) modifies the earned release cre...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 29, 2021
As we get settled into a new year it's easy to forget about what we spent money on or what services we signed up for. The start of the year is a whirlwind, and many take advantage of this time to highjack your identity and financial information for their ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2021
Almost a year after the COVID-19 pandemic completely uprooted our day-to-day life and economy, many Americans are still looking for work. In addition to those that are unemployed, high school and college students are now planning for the summer and figuri...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 15, 2021
A recent study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau indicated a 9.2 percent increase in auto thefts last year compared to 2019, with 873,080 cars being stolen, making 2020 the largest theft year in the past decade. Factors including the pandemic, rise i...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 8, 2021
Many are looking forward to getting away from the valley this upcoming spring break and getting some much-needed rest. The last thing you want is to worry about whether your home is safe by not taking the time to secure it before you leave.
Along with thos...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 5, 2021
It’s no understatement that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is busy. While many may focus on the work that takes place in the courtroom, our office is involved in so much more. With more than 900 employees spread out over 11 divisions and 8 geograph...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2021
Women's History Month encourages the study, awareness, and celebration of the vital role women have held and continue to hold in American history. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter helped bring national attention to this by declaring the week of Ma...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 22, 2021
In case you didn't know, February is Graffiti Awareness Month. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is joining forces with the City of Phoenix to help raise awareness and encourage residents to remove graffiti from their communities.
Unl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 16, 2021
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have come to rely heavily on digital platforms to do our work, attend school, and socialize with others. Unfortunately, this shift has had a surprisingly ne...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 8, 2021
Online dating has become one of the more popular pastimes for those looking to make a connection. The continued rise in dating apps and social networking sites is now the preferred way for millions of people to meet someone they would never have before. I...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 1, 2021
Nearly 60% of adults consider using online dating sites to meet people, and those over the age of 50 are some of the most active users. While dating sites can be full of potential suitors, they are also full of scammers ready to take advantage of those lo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 29, 2021
“I continue to recover from my medical operation in November and am not able to conduct a formal press conference regarding this case. However, I wanted to inform the community of my decision as I know many in the community and, certai...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 25, 2021
According to the U.N. International Labor Organization (ILO), approximately 25 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking, a trade estimated at $150 billion-a-year. While many think human trafficking is synonymous with sex trafficking, it also en...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 18, 2021
When the COVID pandemic halted almost every aspect of our life last year, human trafficking became even more prevalent. The disruption in anti-trafficking resources and awareness gave traffickers an advantage during the many months the COVID pandemic was ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 11, 2021
The start of the year is a great time to start working on new goals and create healthy habits. A common goal found in many new year's resolutions is to become healthier by exercising more, losing weight, eating better, or even quit smoking. While this is ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 5, 2021
After a thorough review of the facts and evidence in this case, the County Attorney’s Office has determined that it cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Poulos’ statements constituted a “true threat” ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 4, 2021
We have all experienced sitting at a green light, not moving due to the driver ahead who is distracted by their cell phone. Even more unsettling, driving on the freeway seeing the driver next to you looking down at their phone. More than 220 million peopl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 23, 2020
Anyone can attest that this year has been anything but ordinary, and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is no exception. This year we've accomplished a lot and made significant changes not only to adapt to a pandemic but to improve ou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 14, 2020
It's not an understatement to say that we are all excited to celebrate the end of this year, but while celebrations are in order, it's important not to get carried away and make hasty decisions. While the holiday season is anticipated all year long, it is...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 7, 2020
This year the Maricopa County Attorney's Office launched the "Keeping Families Safe" campaign to help educate residents in our communities of ways they can prevent and prepare against crime. So far this year, we've covered scam...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2020
As more and more companies transition to online platforms, online shopping is quickly taking over as the go-to method for acquiring goods. Shopping online allows you to compare prices at multiple stores and get the best deal much quicker without having to...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 23, 2020
During the Maricopa County Combined Charitable Campaign, MCAO employees joined other county departments and helped raise $188,517 to support 67 charitable organizations throughout the valley. The Combined Charitable Campaign supports organizations that he...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 19, 2020
Statement from County Attorney Adel and her family: We are grateful for the outpouring of support during this time and the privacy that has been afforded to our family. We appreciate the community’s continued patience as Allister recovers from s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 16, 2020
To help spread awareness of prescription drug abuse, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office wants parents and family members to learn how to get rid of unused medicine and encourage others to do the same. According to the CDC's National Center for Health S...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 9, 2020
Phoenix, AZ – With the passage of Proposition 207, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) will be dismissing all pending and unfiled charges of possession of marijuana and any associated paraphernalia charges that are before this...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 9, 2020
It's no secret that public service employees are dedicated to the work they do and the communities they serve. Public service is a higher calling for some, and our office boasts a workforce dedicated to achieving justice and keeping communities safe. A se...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 2, 2020
As we head into the holiday season, take time to reconnect with your neighborhood and identify ways to work together to help keep your families safe. Being a good neighbor not only makes life more comfortable and enjoyable but can also add an element of s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 22, 2020
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Provides Tips for Parents in Ensuring Online Security
PHOENIX (Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020) — The internet can be a great resource for children and young people — but it also can be a dangerous pl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 19, 2020
By Allister AdelMaricopa County AttorneyRyan GreenDivision Chief, Training and Post-Conviction
At the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, we’re constantly looking for ways to serve our community better. It’s incumbent on us to ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 19, 2020
Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence at any point in their life. Domestic violence or intimate partner violence typically exhibits a pattern of behaviors used to gain power and control over a spouse, partner, girlfriend/boyfriend, or family member....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 12, 2020
This October, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office wants to help raise awareness of domestic violence or intimate partner violence and the lasting effects it can have on our communities. When many think of domestic violence, they might picture conflict b...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 5, 2020
Less than 26 years ago, violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, was not perceived as crimes, and communities across the country lacked the resources or response plans needed to reduce this type o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 1, 2020
Phoenix, AZ – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Created more than 30 years ago, this four-week period focuses on three main goals; to celebrate those who have survived abuse, mourn those who have died because of domestic violence and...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 28, 2020
While this isn’t the way many of us expected the school year to start, for teens, it’s still an exciting time to see friends and socialize with their classmates even if it’s online. For many teens, socializing digitally is a ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 23, 2020
It is time for us to come together to make body-worn camera deployment a reality across Arizona. As County Attorney, this is my top priority and I am calling on the leadership at the Arizona State Legislature to take action this upcoming legislative sessi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 21, 2020
Phoenix, AZ – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has announced that there is not evidence to support criminal charges against Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper George Cervantes in the death of Dion Johnson, which occ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 21, 2020
Over the last few months, we have spent more time at home and even more time online. From work transitioning online to socializing with friends virtually, most of us have learned how to adapt our lives to social distancing standards. Unfortunately, bullie...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 15, 2020
Phoenix, AZ - On August 27, 2020, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged* Rafael (aka Rafaela) Vasquez, age 46, with one count of Negligent Homicide in the death of Elaine Herzberg on March 18, 2018.
“Distracted driving is an issue of great importa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2020
Getting more quality time with our pets has been one of the silver linings of this year. For many of us, our pets have provided a great deal of support and comfort from the stress of COVID-19. Sadly, not all pets have a safe or enjoyable experience at hom...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 7, 2020
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide among young adults ages 15 to 24 has become the second-leading cause of death in the United States. Sadly, Arizona’s suicide rate for young adults is higher than the national average of 17.1 deaths per ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 3, 2020
Celebrated on the first Monday in September, Labor Day honors the contributions of everyday workers to the growth and achievements of the United States. Known for its long holiday weekend marking the end of summer, Labor Day is commonly associated with ba...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 31, 2020
Drug overdoses occur every day in the United States, and with the right tools and information can be prevented. Unfortunately, across the country, drug overdose deaths increased in 2019, with Arizona experiencing a 17.4% increase. According to the CDC, th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 26, 2020
“A lawsuit was filed by the ACLU against the prior administration related to the release of public records by the County Attorney’s Office. One of my first priorities as county attorney was to address a backlog of public records reques...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 25, 2020
For the first time in the history of Maricopa County, when someone is convicted of misdemeanor DUI, home detention will now be a sentencing option for a portion of the offender’s mandatory jail sentence. Home detention reduces and helps avoid co...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 24, 2020
Understanding the criminal justice system can be difficult. From complicated language to confusing processes and various key players, it’s not something that is easily understood or used daily. While many don’t plan to be involved with...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 20, 2020
On August 19, 2020, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Michael Roy Turney, age 72, with one count of 2nd Degree Murder, a Class 1 Felony, for the death of Alissa Turney.
Alissa Turney was 17 years old went she vanished. On that day she poked her head int...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 19, 2020
County business leaders met virtually today with Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel to discuss items of interest to the Maricopa County business community. This is the first meeting of Adel’s Business Advisory Council and attendees were prov...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 17, 2020
With 90% of criminal charges ending in plea agreements, Maricopa County Prosecutors now have new policies to guide how to handle these cases, and for the first time in the history of the county attorney’s office, the new plea policies are posted...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 17, 2020
The work done by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office goes beyond the courtroom and has a significant impact on people, families, and communities. As part of our effort to help prevent crime, our Community Affairs Team works with parents, teach...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 14, 2020
County Attorney Allister Adel hosted the first Community Advisory Board Meeting on August 13th. The meeting was held virtually with members logging in via video to participate in the discussion.
Members of the advisory board were provided a presentation on...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 10, 2020
In times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, people come together to support one another. It’s during these times when we are trying to help those most in need that we need to be alert and pay close attention to what we support. While some...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 3, 2020
The criminal justice system relies on an extensive process centered around rules, decision making, and facts. Throughout each step of this process, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, any decision that deprives a person of privacy, property, and liberty...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 29, 2020
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is seeking qualified candidates to serve as volunteer consultants on the agency’s Critical Incident Review Team. The effort to have non-MCAO employees serve on the Critical Incident Review Team wil...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 27, 2020
Last year 52 children died in a hot car in the United States; 3 of those deaths occurred in Maricopa County. In recognition of National Heatstroke Awareness Day this July 31, we want to remind everyone of simple changes that can be made not only as parent...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 23, 2020
To help understand and slow the spread of COVID-19, state health departments are "tracing" people who were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Once identified, contact tracers can then advise those who may have been exposed...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 22, 2020
Phoenix, AZ – Since taking office, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel has focused on making meaningful changes within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) to ensure transparency and accountability.
Today, County Attorney Ade...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 20, 2020
Though it is not common knowledge, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has been connecting loving families with children in need for nearly 40 years.
Under Arizona law, the County Attorney is required to provide free legal representation in any...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 13, 2020
If you’re not already talking to your kids about their online use, now is an excellent time to start. During the last few months, not only has learning and school work shifted online to livestreaming platforms, but socializing with others has as...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 9, 2020
While it’s safer to be at home during this pandemic, we understand that it is not feasible for everyone, and some may frequently find themselves in public areas. Even though the pandemic may be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it’s essential not to di...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 6, 2020
When we first learn how to drive, we exhibit caution in everything we do behind the wheel. As we get more comfortable, our actions might begin to get complacent. We might reach for something in the back seat or have some breakfast on our way to work. Litt...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 2, 2020
While many look forward to celebrating the Fourth of July, for some, it’s a painful reminder of a loved one they’ve lost due to drunk driving. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, more people die from a car crash involving a drunk driv...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 29, 2020
In Arizona’s cities and towns, celebratory gunfire or discharging a weapon without an intended target into the air is against the law. Unfortunately, this practice continues to be fairly common, especially around holidays like the Fourth of July...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 25, 2020
Many people think the role of the prosecutor is only to secure a conviction. Not true.
The role of the prosecutor is to seek justice – even if that means asking the court to dismiss a specific charge or an entire case against a defendant when the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 24, 2020
Statement from County Attorney Allister Adel:“To ensure that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is best able to protect victim’s rights and hold criminals accountable in the pursuit of justice, it is important that this ag...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 24, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, more than 1,300 individuals facing criminal prosecution in Maricopa County have been referred to the county’s new Felony Diversion Program, allowing people to receive treatment i...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 18, 2020
Talking to teenagers about vaping may not be an easy thing to do, but it’s essential to have these discussions and take the opportunity to do so now while kids are at home. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that is especiall...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 16, 2020
Opioid overdoses occur every month, in every age group and every county across Arizona, with Maricopa County having the highest number of verified opioid overdoses. Even though the number of overdoses has been on a steady decrease since March, according t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 11, 2020
As some of us slowly make the transition back to the office, and childcare options remain limited, getting a babysitter might be a good alternative. Choosing someone to watch over and take care of your kids while you’re not around is not somethi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 8, 2020
The County Attorney’s Office plays a unique role in our criminal justice system. Our attorneys review and determines charging for all felonies in the county and misdemeanors in the unincorporated areas of the county. We also handle juvenile crim...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 4, 2020
While summertime is best spent enjoying the warm weather with family, sadly, it is also prime time for home burglaries to occur. In the United States, a home is burglarized every 13 seconds, with most thefts taking place during the day when people are not...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 1, 2020
Many Arizona residents are returning to work, and summer camps are opening up for all those restless kids. Daily life might not be entirely back to normal, but some routines are coming back into place. One thing that hasn’t changed is the need to be vigil...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 29, 2020
Paying off your student loans can be stressful, especially during a pandemic. To help out, the president signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law to provide some flexibility and temporary relief to those working to pa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 28, 2020
During these uncertain times, it might be easy to indulge in habits that can help reduce stress. While certain practices can improve our health, exercise our brain, or help us learn a new skill, vaping is not one of these. A relatively new product, e-ciga...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 27, 2020
In response to COVID-19, much of Arizona has come to a grinding halt during the last two months while communities Stay Home, Stay Healthy and Stay Connected. Although the walkways between our office and the courts are mostly empty, critical procurement, d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 25, 2020
Today we remember and honor the sacrifice of our fallen soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. These brave men and women answered the call and put their lives on the line to protect our country.
The freedom that we cherish today was hard-fought. As Americ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 22, 2020
Today in Maricopa County, there are more than 800 children who have very sadly been identified as missing. Some may be runaways, some victims of child sexual abuse, or child sex trafficking, and some may be victims of abduction. For parents, their childre...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 21, 2020
Every year thousands of children disappear from their homes and communities. According to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, there are 30,618 active missing person files for juveniles under the age of 18 as of December 31, 2019. While children g...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 20, 2020
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office would like to congratulate all the students who are graduating this month from college and high school. As you are celebrating this achievement, you’re also looking to the future and what type of c...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2020
May is an exciting time of the year for many reasons. It brings along longer days, warmer weather, and signals the end of some high school or college careers. While years of hard work, long hours, and many essays should be celebrated, it’s essen...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 18, 2020
Violence does not discriminate, and it’s those who are at their most vulnerable in our communities that end up at risk. Approximately 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year, and only...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 15, 2020
Beginning in January 2020, staff from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office moved into our new building at 225 W. Madison. The former Maricopa County jail was transformed into a six-floor, state-of-the-art facility for nearly 1,000 MCAO employee...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 14, 2020
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Crime Analysis and Research Unit (CARU) provides research and analytical support to law enforcement and prosecutors in a collaborative and proactive effort to reduce criminal activity impacting Maricopa Coun...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 13, 2020
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office partners with law enforcement agencies in many ways, but did you know we have our own sworn staff of law enforcement officers? Under recent organizational changes, the Investigations Division now falls under...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 12, 2020
Did you know the Public Safety Liaisons at the MCAO are on call 24/7/365 to respond to first responder critical incidents, including officer-involved shootings? These are live, developing scenes, often in the middle of the night, that threaten the safety ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2020
This week we celebrate and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to help keep our communities safe. National Police Week pays tribute to those in law enforcement who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of oth...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 8, 2020
This weekend, we celebrate Mother’s Day. It’s a special day that has been put aside to honor those who have cared for us, nurtured us, and continue to support us. While it’s an annual tradition, this year holds extra meaning....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 7, 2020
As a way to stimulate the American economy, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun sending economic impact payments or stimulus checks to millions of U.S residents. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of information and confusion from many sources s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2020
When we think about internet safety we think about actions taken online. But what about your workspace? Does it follow the same safety guidelines as your office space? Paying attention to your privacy at home can be just as important in keeping your work ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 5, 2020
A holiday that has grown in popularity across the United States, Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in 1862 during the Battle of Puebla. The fifth of May is a day to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture and many like to join...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 4, 2020
Temperatures have recently reached over 100 degrees and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office wants to remind you to never leave a child or pet in a parked car. In May, we launch our “Don’t Leave Me Behind” Vehicular Heatstroke campaign. You’ll hear publi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 1, 2020
National Law Day is celebrated each year on May 1st and this year the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office proudly recognizes our more than 350 prosecutors and civil attorneys who work to ensure community safety and justice are served, and that the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 30, 2020
Trial Bureau West Chief Angela Andrews has been teleworking since late February and acknowledges that her day-to-day routine is constantly changing but she and her team are moving forward with great success. Angela participates in multiple email and video...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 29, 2020
Today, MCAO joins millions of people across the world supporting survivors and raising awareness of sexual violence. Denim Day is a campaign during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April that raises awareness of victim blaming and destructive misconcepti...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 28, 2020
National Records and Information Management Month is celebrated every April and was created to promote good record keeping practices, strong information management processes and to emphasize the importance of having organized records. Information helps ou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 27, 2020
April 27, 2020 – In recent weeks, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has executed a historic effort in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In addition to transitioning nearly 700 employees to a telework force, this office h...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 27, 2020
Few of us are used to spending so much time around children, much less weeks at a time during such a stressful situation. It’s important that while we are at home we continue to create and maintain healthy habits for our children. Review the fol...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 24, 2020
Ensuring rights for victims of crime involves every element of our criminal justice system.
It involves victim advocates and prosecutors, but also the law enforcement officers who respond to a scene and the victims themselves. Each year, during National Cr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2020
With many telecommuting during the COVID-19 Stay at Home order, our staff is keeping the wheels of justice rolling. Many of the employees at MCAO have adjusted to the changes seamlessly and have found some to be both surprising and rewarding. Today, we&am...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2020
Every day at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a sizeable staff of administrative professionals including legal support assistants, clerks, receptionists, coordinators, evidence specialists, accounting and travel specialists, couriers, HR a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 21, 2020
During Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we want to shine a light on one of our incredible employees who has dedicated her life to ensuring that crime victims—especially children—have a voice in the justice system.
Shawn Cox joined ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 20, 2020
MCAO Victim Advocates work every day to help those in our community who have been impacted by crime. One such example is Advocate Laura Lopez, who worked with the family of the victim in a heartbreaking murder case that involved 3 defendants, each tried s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 17, 2020
Staying active is important—now more than ever. Regular exercise helps to lift your mood, improve your health and manage stress better.
Like so many governmental offices in Arizona, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced Maricopa County offices to only es...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 16, 2020
Opportunities like these don’t come around often, to be more specific they only come around every ten years. Yes, we’re talking about the census, a once-in-a-decade count of everyone in the United States. While we continue to help prev...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 15, 2020
The COVID-19 emergency means that many prosecutors and staff at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office are teleworking. Court appearances have been postponed or canceled and hearings are happening telephonically. Everyone is making temporary adju...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 14, 2020
Spending more time at home puts those in abusive relationships at risk, that’s where support from local domestic violence shelters can make a difference. While shelters receive funding from many sources, they still rely on donations for essentia...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 13, 2020
While firewalls and hotspots are helpful, they can’t protect your data from all types of risks. As you continue to work from home pay attention to the actions you take online and how they could compromise your work. Be a smart user and implement...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 10, 2020
The Midwest is known for people with a straightforward, open and no-nonsense style – and in the case of Emily Craiger, one of the incredible women who work for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO). Emily demonstrates her midwes...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 9, 2020
Adults aren’t the only ones susceptible to online threats. With schools closed many students are completing their coursework and spending a significant amount of time online, increasing their chances of seeing something that isn’t inte...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 8, 2020
Arizona ranks #19 in the nation for identity theft, down from #10 just a couple of years ago. Better public education and personal awareness have been key, but we all must remain vigilant. The tax season upon us, and scammers are out in force. With the fi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 7, 2020
To protect their own health and that of their coworkers, more and more employees are being asked to work from home. While working from home can be comfortable, it can create a number of cyber security issues for both employees and employers. As you adjust...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 6, 2020
In Arizona, a rape is committed every two hours and 44 minutes impacting men, women and children in our community. This month we join with others across the nation to raise awareness about sexual assault and violence.
The Maricopa County Attorney&rsquo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 3, 2020
Nearly 70% of households in Maricopa County have pets and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control licenses nearly 400,000 dogs annually. Sadly, not all of these pets end up in loving homes and some are abused and mistreated. When that treatment rises to c...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 2, 2020
As Maricopa County residents join the rest of the state following the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected” order, it’s essential that we continue to support one another. For many, spending more time at home is an opportu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 30, 2020
While most people come together in times of need, some see it as an opportunity to take advantage of others. Scammers will go through great lengths to appear legitimate and trustworthy. It’s important that we pay attention to the warning signs a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 27, 2020
Amid many of the actions MCAO has taken in response to concerns of COVID-19, the work our Victims Services Division has done goes above and beyond. MCAO’s Victim Services Division is made up of highly trained, experienced professionals who offer...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 26, 2020
PHOENIX, AZ - Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel has directed staff to find ways to reduce the number of individuals having to interact with our criminal justice system.
When charging cases, prosecutors are looking at the nature of the crime, the crimi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 20, 2020
----- En Español -----
Written in stone across the front of the Maricopa County Superior Courthouse is the statement, “The first duty of society is justice.” And while thousands of people pass under these words every day, few...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 18, 2020
March is National Women’s History Month. This office planned a series of profiles featuring some of the amazing women of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, like Chief of Staff Candice Copple.
Candice is a key member of the County At...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 17, 2020
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is working closely with our partners in the criminal justice system to ensure the safety of this community. Employees with the MCAO who have the ability to from home and those who are in high-risk population...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 16, 2020
"As a governmental agency, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has a responsibility to our community to provide essential governmental services. During times of crisis, the safety and security of this community is paramount and ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
March is Women’s History Month and we are proud to recognize the amazing women who work at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Women’s History Month got its start as a small one-week celebration in 1978 in Santa Rosa, Cali...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
Last month, our Community Outreach team met with several groups and attended some great public events to share information and resources on a variety of topics.
Community Affairs Coordinator Vanessa Ceja spoke with families about child safety.
The...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
For more than half a century, Jerry Fenton has been practicing law – doing defense work, in private practice and most recently as a prosecutor in MCAO’s Special Prosecution Division, Sex Crimes West Bureau. Jerry’s legal care...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
March brings warmer temperatures to the Valley. It’s the beginning of Spring and families in Maricopa County are heading outside to enjoy the perfect weather. We’ve got March Madness, spring training baseball, Spring Break, and St. Pat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
Ah, the sweet smell of Spring …..
With the arrival of Spring, sun-kissed sand is calling and bright, beautiful beaches await your arrival. It’s that time of year when thousands of teens, college students, and families partake...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
This past month, Maricopa County added two new facilities to more efficiently serve the needs of offenders, their families and the community: A new central Intake, Transfer and Release (ITR) facility and a mental health court at Maryvale Behavioral Center...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
The returns are in and MCAO employees raised $3,470 to support Arizona BrainFood during the Fall Casual Day Campaign.
Arizona Brainfood is a non-profit organization that discreetly provides a backpack of food every Friday to feed hungry school ch...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
Earlier this year, MCAO employees participated in the 2020 Annual Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance. These employees volunteered their legal services to help homeless veterans with outstanding minor criminal matters pending in Maricopa County. More than...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2020
It’s time again for the U.S. Census! The Census is held every 10 years and gives lawmakers, government administrators, emergency planners and other organizations a snapshot of our population. This helps them make decisions such as how much we ne...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 24, 2020
PHOENIX—Alonzo Ferguson (D.O.B. 05/01/1979) was sentenced to a term of Natural Life today for a First Degree murder, which occurred during a 2014 robbery attempt on an armored car. He received a sentence of 15 years in the Department of Correcti...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 31, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – At a news conference earlier today, County Attorney Allister Adel announced that she will not be filing criminal charges in the shooting death of Antonio Arce on January 15, 2019 by Tempe Police Officer Joseph Jaen.
At the news...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 28, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – On January 27, 2020, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Rachel Henry, age 22, with three counts of First Degree Murder, a Class 1 Felony, for the death of three minor children under the age of 15, on January 20, 2020.
&ld...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 23, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – January is National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. County Attorney Allister Adel will host a special event Friday, Jan. 24 at 10:30 am in front of county offices, located at 225 W. Madison.
The event is being...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 9, 2020
PHOENIX— Edward Littleton McCauley (D.O.B. 11/18/1956) was sentenced by a jury to death for the 2014 murder of his estranged wife. He was convicted of First Degree Murder on November 5, 2019.
“This murder was a heinous and callous act,&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 9, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – On January 8, 2020, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Father John “Jack” Dallas Spaulding, age 74, with six counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, a Class 2 Felony; and one count of Molestation of a C...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 7, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona – Beginning January 1, 2020, those participating in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Drug Diversion Program will no longer be required to pay a $630 case fee. Under Adel’s leadership, the Maricopa County Attorn...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 30, 2019
Phoenix, Arizona – As we say farewell to 2019 and ring in a new decade, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) offers some simple New Year’s Resolutions to help residents be safe in 2020.
“Keeping families safe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 16, 2019
PHOENIX, AZ—Alonzo Ferguson (D.O.B. 05/01/1979) has been found guilty of one count each of First Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery and Attempt to Commit Armed Robbery for his plan to rob a Garda armored vehicle. The incident led ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 16, 2019
PHOENIX—Mayra Solis (D.O.B. 2/19/1993) has been sentenced to 17 years in the Department of Corrections for the role she played in the horrific abuse of her 3-year-old daughter who was rescued from a closet, found in a trash bag and covered in fi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 11, 2019
PHOENIX—Duane Richard Principale (D.O.B. 10/20/1959) has been sentenced to 20 years in the Department of Corrections for killing three people in a head-on collision that was a result of his intoxication. He plead guilty to three counts of Mansla...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 11, 2019
Phoenix, Arizona – On Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted, pursuant to A.R.S. 11 – 664(B), to have the Maricopa County Attorney conduct an investigation as it relates to the duties of Maricopa County Assessor Paul Pete...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 19, 2019
Phoenix, Arizona – On Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted, pursuant to A.R.S. 11 – 664(B), to have the Maricopa County Attorney conduct an investigation as it relates to the duties of Maricopa County Assessor Paul Pete...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 14, 2019
PHOENIX—Leonard Bacon, Jr. (D.O.B. 2/3/1968) has been sentenced to Life in the Department of Corrections for the 2018 attempted 1st Degree Murder of a Corrections Officer. Bacon admitted to stabbing the officer with the intent to kill him.
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 14, 2019
PHOENIX—Luis Aldana (D.O.B. 1/2/1988) has been convicted on several charges stemming from an incident during which he shot at an Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper. Charges included Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault,...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 8, 2019
PHOENIX— Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office salute those who have served and sacrificed in defense of our freedom.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude for the men and women ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 17, 2019
PHOENIX— Today, newly-appointed Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel announced members of her transition team. The group has been tasked by County Attorney Adel to develop high-level strategic priorities to guide her as she creates a meaningfu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 11, 2019
PHOENIX— Dion Earl (D.O.B. 03-13-1972) was sentenced today to 12 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty by a jury of Sexual Assault, Public Sexual Indecency and two counts each of Kidnapping and Assault.
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 3, 2019
PHOENIX— Wendy Lavarnia (D.O.B. 06-30-1988) was sentenced today to 10.5 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Manslaughter and Attempted Child Abuse for the death of her 9-year-old son who was shot in the head while pla...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 19, 2019
PHOENIX— Jarre Edward Bjelic (D.O.B. 09-12-1994) was sentenced today to 4.5 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to three counts of Theft by Extortion and one count of Attempted Fraud Schemes.
“Today&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 16, 2019
PHOENIX— Jorge Acosta (D.O.B. 03-17-1973) was recently sentenced to 40 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to 2nd Degree Murder, Burglary and two counts of Aggravated Assault for breaking into his ex-girlfriend&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 4, 2019
PHOENIX— This afternoon Governor Doug Ducey announced the appointment of Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery to the Arizona Supreme Court to replace Chief Justice Bales. The Governor noted his selection was a candidate who had an understand...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Dion Earl (D.O.B. 03-13-1972) was found guilty by a jury of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Assault, Public Sexual Indecency and two counts of Kidnapping for his actions involving two victims who he hired as babysitters.
“Today&a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 16, 2019
PHOENIX— Luis Alberto Madrigal (D.O.B. 10-01-1990) was sentenced today to 20 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to 2nd Degree Murder for killing his girlfriend, 27-year-old Monique-Antwane Gemino, who was also the mothe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 25, 2019
PHOENIX— County Attorney Bill Montgomery today signed a contract with Southwest Behavioral Health and Services to provide treatment for certain felony offenders designated as Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI), as a part of MCAO’s Felony Pre...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Matthew Moreno (D.O.B. 11-24-1984), a documented member of the notorious MS-13 street gang, was convicted today on both counts charged by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office—Threatening or Intimidating and Assistin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 18, 2019
PHOENIX— Jose Orellana-Ruiz (D.O.B. 06-19-1989) was sentenced today to 27 years flat in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to 2nd Degree Murder for injuring and killing his three-month-old daughter.
“Adrianna Gutierrez ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 12, 2019
PHOENIX— Brittany Zamora (D.O.B. 01-05-1991) was sentenced today to 20 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Attempted Molestation of a Child and Public Sexual Indecency in connecti...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 11, 2019
PHOENIX— Michael Paul Adams was indicted by Maricopa County Grand Jurors on July 10th on one count of First Degree Murder in the tragic death of a 17-year-old victim at a convenience store on July 4, 2019.
Prosecutors intend to prove that the def...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 10, 2019
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has filed a direct complaint charging Michael Paul Adams with First Degree Murder in connection to the murder of a 17-year-old victim on July 4, 2019. Prosecutors intend to prove that the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 14, 2019
PHOENIX— Joseph John Henn (D.O.B. 03/17/1949) appeared before a judge today for his arraignment hearing on multiple counts of child molestation, attempted child molestation, sexual conduct with a minor, and attempted sexual contact with a minor....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 10, 2019
PHOENIX— Caleb Bartels (D.O.B. 11-25-1989) was sentenced today to Natural Life plus 15 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty of 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault and Burglary.
“This case involved the sensel...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 7, 2019
PHOENIX— Robert Interval (D.O.B. 07-20-1979) was sentenced today to 25 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty of Second Degree Murder for the death of his girlfriend 34-year-old Christine Mustafa.
“This defendan...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 4, 2019
PHOENIX— Marc Laquon Payne (D.O.B. 02-03-1972) was sentenced today to 35 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to three counts of Attempted 1st Degree Murder, four counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts each of Endangerm...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 24, 2019
PHOENIX— Richard Gallegos (D.O.B. 08-29-1964) was sentenced today to 25 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, one count of Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, and one count ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 24, 2019
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has been a leader in the movement of ending a previous backlog of untested sexual assault kits since 2015 and we are close to testing 100% of that backlog.
“This is the culminatio...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 16, 2019
PHOENIX— This summer the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Arizona Humane Society, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to raise awareness in our community a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 7, 2019
PHOENIX— Christopher Redondo (D.O.B. 07-24-1974) was sentenced to Life in the Department of Corrections for the 2010 murder of Gilbert Police Lieutenant Eric Shuhandler, which occurred during a traffic stop. Sentencing for additional charges inc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 29, 2019
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft and Banner Health to offer Cinco de Mayo party-goers an incenti...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 17, 2019
On April 12, 2019, Mari Herreras of the YWCA Southern Arizona sent an open letter to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery regarding discrimination within his Office.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery’s response letter (PDF)
Mari Herrera...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 17, 2019
PHOENIX— In light of recent coverage regarding proposed criminal justice legislation and characterizations of the use of prison in resolving cases from Maricopa County, this office looked to the objective case disposition data from the Administr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 5, 2019
PHOENIX— Justin Allee (D.O.B. 07-09-1984) was sentenced today to 22 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty by a jury of child abuse for violently shaking his infant daughter causing significant brain injuries.
“...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 29, 2019
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has completed a review of three cases submitted by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office involving the treatment of children at a Southwest Key shelter.
“The video eviden...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 28, 2019
PHOENIX— Joseph Eschief (D.O.B. 09-13-1981) was sentenced recently to seven years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of Threatening and Intimidating and one count of Participating in a Criminal Street Gang.
&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Joseph Palmisano (D.O.B. 10-13-1964) was sentenced today to five years in the Department of Corrections followed by five years of probation after pleading guilty to Aggravated Assault and Kidnapping.
“Today’s sentenci...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Dennis Pitman (D.O.B. 08-03-1947) was sentenced today to 96 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty by a jury of 17 counts of Molestation of a Child and five counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor.
“Today...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Michael Crane (D.O.B. 06-09-1980) was sentenced today to three consecutive Natural Life terms and several additional years in the Department of Corrections for multiple charges including three counts of 1st Degree murder.
“Mich...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2019
PHOENIX— Travis Ricci (D.O.B. 09-03-1981) has received the sentence of Natural Life in Prison for the murder of 39-year-old Kelly Ann Jaeger in 2009. A jury found Ricci guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, attempt to commit first-d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 11, 2019
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful campaign “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to offer St. Patrick’s Day revelers an incentive not t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 25, 2019
PHOENIX— During the recently concluded Winter Institute for Public Safety and Behavioral Health Conference hosted by Arizona State University at Skysong, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery was presented with the Innovative Leader Award. Th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 13, 2019
PHOENIX— Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has sent materials to the Phoenix Office of the FBI in connection to the 2017 incident involving Glendale Police Officers and Mr. Wheatcroft.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery commented ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 9, 2019
PHOENIX— Jesus Ceja (D.O.B. 10-24-1962) was sentenced today to six years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Aggravated Driving While Under the Influence. This is the first time a case was prosecuted under HB2243, the Arizo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 21, 2018
PHOENIX— Jadyn Curtis (D.O.B. 06-03-1996) was sentenced today to natural life in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to 1st Degree Murder. Curtis also received a consecutive life sentence for Sexual Assault, and consecutive 21-ye...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 3, 2018
PHOENIX- By the beginning of December, calendars are already filling up with holiday parties and New Year celebration plans. That is why the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, in partnership with Lyft and Banner Health, is promoting the &ldq...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2018
PHOENIX— Aaron Ott (D.O.B. 01-07-1997) was sentenced today to 27 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Armed Robbery and 2nd Degree Murder of 16-year-old Miguel Navarro who met the defendant to sell an Xbox.
“T...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2018
PHOENIX—Francisco Nieblas Rodriguez (D.O.B. 03-15-1988) was sentenced today to 33 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty of seven counts of Armed Robbery, two counts of Attempted Armed Robbery, seven counts of Kidnapping...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2018
PHOENIX—Josef Dixon (D.O.B. 04-01-1990) was sentenced today to 190 years in the Department of Corrections after being found guilty of 14 counts of child prostitution and one count of drug possession.
“Today's sentencing should serve as ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 28, 2018
PHOENIX— Jason Lindsey (D.O.B. 1-20-1997) was found guilty today by a jury on the charges of 1st Degree Murder, Drive By Shooting and three counts of Aggravated Assault all related to him firing a gun from the passenger side window at another ca...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 26, 2018
PHOENIX— Gabriel Tovar (D.O.B. 06-11-1972) was sentenced today to 12 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to one count of Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices. The defendant was responsible for eight different burglaries wher...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 6, 2018
PHOENIX— Christopher Rivera (D.O.B. 09-27-1999) was sentenced today to two years of probation after pleading guilty to one felony count of Interfering with or Disruption of an Educational Institution. This is in connection to a threatening socia...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 1, 2018
PHOENIX— Bryant Ozorio (D.O.B. 12-20-1987) was found guilty in absentia by a jury for 10 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, a Dangerous Crime Against Children on October 23, 2018. Ozorio was facing a minimum sentence of 100 years in the D...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 23, 2018
PHOENIX— Francisco Covarrubias (D.O.B. 08-12-1985) was sentenced today to 35 years in the Department of Corrections and lifetime probation upon release, after pleading guilty to three counts of attempted child abuse and two counts of kidnapping....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 12, 2018
Kimery Jorg (D.O.B. 05-16-1960) was sentenced today to 20 years in the Department of Corrections with lifetime probation upon release after pleading guilty to four counts of child abuse involving her adopted daughters the day before her trial was set to b...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 5, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Lashawn Johnson (D.O.B. 06/05/1990) was sentenced to Natural Life for 1st Degree Premeditated Murder, Theft of Means of Transportation, Arson, and Abandonment or Concealment of a Dead Body.
“Lashawn Johnson’s ef...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 2, 2018
PHOENIX— Eric Craig (D.O.B. 10-04-1969) pled guilty to one count of Pandering and two counts of Money Laundering and was sentenced to 7.5 years in the Department of Corrections with five years of probation following his release. The case against...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 25, 2018
PHOENIX— Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Division Chief for the Special Victims Division, Rachel Mitchell has been selected to assist in the Judge Kavanaugh confirmation hearing. Division Chief Mitchell’s area of responsibi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 24, 2018
PHOENIX— The FBI’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report (UCR) for Arizona was released today and reflects an overall 1.4% drop in crime in the state. While crime is down overall in Arizona for the sixth year in a row, the new report ind...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 10, 2018
PHOENIX— Christopher Brown (D.O.B. 08-24-1976) was sentenced today to 14 years in the Department of Corrections for Sex Trafficking, Receiving Earnings of a Prostitute, Pandering, and Assault. Brown was arrested as a part of a January 2018 operation by th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 21, 2018
PHOENIX— Recently, Albert De La Torre (D.O.B. 01/26/1978) was charged with four counts of 3rd Degree Burglary and one count of Attempted 3rd Degree Burglary in connection with a series of ATM burglaries across the West Valley.
&ldqu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 17, 2018
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has completed a review of a use of force incident involving Mesa Police Department Officers Glover and Santiago and an armed robbery suspect that occurred on May 16, 2018. The incident was...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 10, 2018
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is informing the community about a recent article put out by the Associated Press office in Phoenix in reference to the recent ruling on prosecutorial immunity preventing depositions in a ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 1, 2018
PHOENIX— There is only one month left in this year’s “Don’t Leave Me Behind” vehicular heatstroke awareness campaign, but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is asking for renewed commitment in...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 19, 2018
PHOENIX— In light of recent media coverage, initiated by a spurious article from the Southern Poverty Law Center, on the case of Tahnee Gonzalez and Elizabeth Dauenhauer, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Tempe Islamic Community Cente...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 19, 2018
“To assert that this case is being handled in an unusual or unprofessional manner is irresponsible, at best.
I was involved in the case of the juveniles who vandalized a menorah, and facilitated their restitution and apology to the victims. I was...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 16, 2018
PHOENIX—Due to recent litigation in federal court on the issue of ballot harvesting—and with primary and general elections upcoming—Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement on the state&rsqu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 13, 2018
PHOENIX—Kevin Richard Hevel (D.O.B. 10/22/1986) was sentenced to 16 years in the Department of Corrections for 2nd Degree Murder in connection with a fatal DUI crash.
“There is absolutely no excuse for someone to drive impaired and risk...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 13, 2018
PHOENIX—Stanley Ray Chu (D.O.B. 05/11/1985) was sentenced to 15.5 years in the Department of Corrections for Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault and Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Accident in connection to a DUI crash.
“Today’s sen...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 13, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Madeline Jones (D.O.B. 11/18/1997) was sentenced to three years of supervised probation for Custodial Interference. Her parents, Cassandra Jones and Roland Jones were also sentenced to three years of supervised probation for Consp...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 3, 2018
PHOENIX— The MCAO family is remembering the important work of the Office’s first victim support dog, Sam, in light of his passing last week. Sam officially retired from the Office in July of 2016 and has been enjoying his retirement an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 19, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Marlow Chiquito (D.O.B. 11/26/1985) was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 25 years flat for 2nd Degree Murder and 10.5 years for kidnapping in connection to the murder of Maggie Chiquito.
“Today’s sentencing is the result of the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 15, 2018
PHOENIX—Holly Davis (D.O.B. 10/20/1983) was sentenced to a mandatory 25 years in the Department of Corrections for 2nd Degree Murder in the death of 19-year-old Yue Jiang.
“This sentence is the maximum penalty for 2nd Degree Murder and ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 21, 2018
PHOENIX— Dwandarrius Robinson (D.O.B. 12/20/1990) was sentenced to Death after being found guilty by a jury of two counts of 1st Degree Murder and one count of Arson of an Occupied Structure and one count of Kidnapping in connection to the 2012 ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Charles Lewis Lott III (D.O.B. 11/15/1996) was sentenced to 20 years in the Department of Corrections for 2nd Degree Murder in connection to the murder of Allen Price Jr.
“Today’s sentence underscores that the u...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 2, 2018
PHOENIX— This year, the “Don’t Leave Me Behind” vehicular heatstroke awareness campaign is kicking off with new partners to help spread this important safety message. Working together with the Arizona Humane Society, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Pengui...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 1, 2018
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to offer Cinco de Mayo party goers an incentive to not drink an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 1, 2018
PHOENIX- Following on the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office creation of a new Diversion Program Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has announced its selection of MCAO to participate in its Prosecutor-Led Diversion Initiative. This initiat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 19, 2018
PHOENIX—Alvin Rex Smith (D.O.B. 07/26/1985) was sentenced to 191 years in the Department of Corrections for three counts of Sex Trafficking, nine counts of Child Prostitution, four counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor and three counts of Using ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 9, 2018
PHOENIX- On April 9, 2018 the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office implemented a newly created Diversion Programs Bureau that will be tasked with administering and monitoring diversion programs as part of the Office’s focus on prosecution...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 5, 2018
PHOENIX— At the end of February and again at the end of March, multiple defendants were charged in incidents involving the sale of fake Oxycodone pills containing deadly amounts of Fentanyl.
“If law enforcement had not been vigilant in ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 20, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Leroy Christopher Orbeck (D.O.B. 06/21/1995) was sentenced to 25 years in the Department of Corrections for Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Sex Trafficking, Child Prostitution, Attempted Sexual Assault, and Aggravated Assault.
&ld...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 19, 2018
PHOENIX— Jeffrey Mathis (D.O.B. 10/04/1985) was sentenced to Life in Prison with the possibility of release after 25 years for 1st Degree Murder and 15 years for Attempted 1st Degree Murder. He was also sentenced to 15 years for Drive ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 12, 2018
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful campaign “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to offer St. Patrick’s Day revelers an incentive not t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 6, 2018
PHOENIX— On March 6, 2018 Javier Romero (D.O.B. 12/21/1990) was found guilty by a jury of 2nd Degree Murder in connection to the 2013 stabbing death of 26-year-old Miguel “Mike” Hernandez and one count of aggravated assault o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 23, 2018
PHOENIX— On February 14, 2018 Jesus Busso-Estopellan (D.O.B. 12/24/1989) was found guilty by a jury of two counts of 1st Degree Murder and one count of Misconduct Involving Weapons in connection to the 2011 shooting of 18-year-old Tyler Webster ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 26, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Judith Walthers (D.O.B. 05/26/1993) was sentenced to Life in Prison for First Degree Murder, in addition to four years for Theft of Means of Transportation and two years for Second Degree Escape all connected to the death of 54-ye...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 19, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Jose Ubaldo Rubio Figueroa (D.O.B. 06/07/1964) was sentenced to 25 years in the Department of Corrections for Second Degree Murder for the death of 48-year-old Maria Rivera.
“While nothing can change the grief felt by the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 11, 2018
PHOENIX— Today Decarlos Jones (D.O.B. 08/07/1988) was sentenced to a 90 day jail sentence followed by three years of supervised probation with domestic violence and animal cruelty terms for the torture and decapitation of his and his girlfriend&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 20, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Adrian Harvey (D.O.B. 03/10/1971) was sentenced to 20 years for the Second Degree Murder Conviction of 32-year-old Dawn Subia.
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates our Office’s resolve to hold the defendan...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 18, 2017
PHOENIX— A Maricopa County Grand Jury has delivered an indictment charging Michael Paladino (D.O.B. 04/07/1989) with six counts of Sexual Assault related to cases from 2003 through 2006.
“We now have the necessary investigative findings...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 15, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Juan Zermeno (D.O.B. 06/21/1975) was sentenced to Natural Life for First Degree Murder, with an additional 14 years in the Department of Corrections for Burglary and Trafficking Stolen Property.
“Nothing can change the su...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 12, 2017
PHOENIX— Today James Koryor (D.O.B. 02/10/1974) was found guilty of negligent homicide and child abuse in connection to the death of his 2-year-old son.
“This case involves the senseless death of a young innocent victim, whose life was cut short by the car...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 7, 2017
PHOENIX— Philip Mitchell Brailsford was found not guilty of Second Degree Murder, nor a lesser charge, in relation to the fatal shooting of a suspect during a January 2016 incident at a Mesa hotel.
“This case did not and does not repres...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 4, 2017
PHOENIX- Calendars are already filling up with holiday parties and New Year celebration plans, that is why this year the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is kicking off its “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign earlier ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 16, 2017
PHOENIX—John Allen (D.O.B. 07/19/1988) has received the sentence of death for the murder of his family member, 10-year-old Ame Deal. He was found guilty of 1st degree murder, three counts of child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse earli...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 13, 2017
PHOENIX— Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is in Washington D.C. for the 50-State Summit on Public Safety. The first of its kind summit is an invite-only gathering of lawmakers, corrections administrators, law enforcement officials, and b...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 3, 2017
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) through its Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant Program for their ongoing in...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 17, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Raymond Hanley (D.O.B. 1/27/1953) received a Life Sentence plus 10.5 years, for 1st Degree Murder and Arson in connection to the death of 40-year-old Debra Kay Shipton who was found brutally bound and killed inside her Mesa apartm...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 25, 2017
PHOENIX— Today the FBI released its 2016 Uniform Crime Report data for Arizona. The report basically reflects the same overall crime rate as last year, given the overall drop in property crime offsetting the increase in each Part I violent offen...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 22, 2017
DNA Helps Detectives Solve 35-Year-Old Cold Case
PHOENIX— Today Larry Lee Robinson (D.O.B. 10/10/1959) was sentenced to 21 years in the Department of Corrections, for 2nd Degree Murder in connection to the death of 83-year-old Sally Bryant who wa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 20, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Phoeteama Neal (D.O.B. 02/10/1986) was sentenced to Natural Life for 1st Degree Murder. Neal pled guilty on January 17th to the murder involving the intentional drowning of her 20-month old daughter Victoria.
“Today&r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 15, 2017
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement in response to the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denial of the Office’s Motion for Reconsideration in a civil lawsuit filed by Manuela Villa involving wiretapping pra...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 1, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Brian Woolsey (D.O.B. 06/07/1970) was sentenced to 12 years in the Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime supervised probation with sex offender conditions for four counts of sexual conduct with a minor, which occurred wh...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 31, 2017
PHOENIX—The Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling has upheld the Court of Appeals opinion in State v. Martinson, the case of a father accused of killing his five-year-old son in 2004, allowing the County Attorney’s Office to resume ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 28, 2017
PHOENIX— Last week Andrew Ward (D.O.B. 01/19/1987) plead guilty to two counts of 1st Degree Murder in two separate cases, one involving the death of his 12-year-old half-brother and Douglas Walker, his 33-year-old jail cellmate. Documentation su...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 28, 2017
PHOENIX— On August 25th Tiffany Fajardo (D.O.B. 04/02/1997) was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years of probation for Cruelty to Animals. The defendant was paid to care for a family’s six pets, but did not feed or care for the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 23, 2017
“Coverage of the actions of the different groups engaged in the activities last night in our Downtown area make clear that the Phoenix Police Department exercised appropriate restraint and resolve in controlling a d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 17, 2017
PHOENIX— This week three teens involved in damaging a large ornamental menorah displayed outside a home in Chandler during Hanukah in 2016 pled guilty to criminal damage. The plea given to the teens was reached in agreement with the victims and ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 7, 2017
PHOENIX—Sammantha Allen (D.O.B. 06/14/1988) has received the sentence of death for the murder of her cousin 10-year-old Ame Deal.
“I want to thank the members of the jury for their time and effort on this case and reaching a d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 31, 2017
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has completed a review of a case submitted by the Phoenix Police Department involving the hiking death of a 12-year old Cody Flom back on July 22, 2016 and shared the analysis of the case ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 28, 2017
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has completed a review of a case submitted by the Phoenix Police Department that led to the evacuation of the Sky Harbor Airport earlier this month.
“After thoroughly reviewing th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 7, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Jose Palacios-Ronquill (D.O.B. 05/19/1979) was sentenced to 30 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for three counts of sexual assault, followed by lifetime supervised probation with sex offender conditions for...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 30, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Donald Linville (D.O.B. 08/07/1989) was sentenced to 121.25 years in the Department of Corrections for two counts of surreptitious videotaping, one count of sexual conduct with a minor and 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a min...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 21, 2017
PHOENIX—Alan Champagne (D.O.B. 09/07/1970) was found guilty of first degree murder, second degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of abandonment/concealment of a body in connection with the deaths of 32-year-old Philmon Tapaha and 26-year-old Brandi Hof...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 8, 2017
PHOENIX—Allen Scott Johnson (D.O.B. 04/05/1963) was sentenced today to five years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime supervised probation with sex offender conditions for three counts of attempted sexual conduct with ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 2, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Dillon Archuleta (D.O.B. 01/11/1995) was sentenced to 13 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for second degree murder.
“Today’s sentencing holds this defendant accountable for his actions and the young life he cut short, however n...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 1, 2017
PHOENIX— Starting on June 1st the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is transitioning the “Don’t Leave Me Behind!” vehicular heatstroke awareness campaign to an all-digital format, targeting residents with ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2017
PHOENIX— 28-year-old Andres Reyes was arrested this week in connection with the 2014 death of 22-year-old Bridget Charlebois and their full term unborn child.
Charlebois, Reyes’ fiancée, was confined to a wheelchair after sus...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2017
PHOENIX—On May 10th Dalton Philbrick (D.O.B. 09/27/1992) was sentenced to 12 years in the Department of Corrections for Burglary, Theft, and Trafficking in Stolen Property.
Starting in January 2015 and continuing until his arrest on January 22, 2...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 3, 2017
PHOENIX—The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) has received two Criminal Justice and Public Safety awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for its innovative Restitution Specialist and Sex Assault Backlog programs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 28, 2017
PHOENIX— As part of the four-month long “Don’t Leave Me Behind!” vehicular heatstroke awareness campaign which starts on May 1st , the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is challenging citizens to keep the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 27, 2017
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to offer Cinco de Mayo party goers an incentive not to drink an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 24, 2017
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has launched a newly re-designed website, maricopacountyattorney.org.
The new website was created with the County’s web designer, Civic Plus. The redesign offers a more user-friendly experience for those looki...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 3, 2017
PHOENIX— On March 31st the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office became the largest prosecutor’s office in the country to transition their criminal functions from paper files to digital. This move to a digital file system will lower the cost associated with p...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 30, 2017
PHOENIX— On March 30th the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against three teenagers for incidents based on a Chandler Police investigation of hazing at a local high school.
One 17-year-old is being charged as an adult with Sex Assau...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 29, 2017
PHOENIX— On March 29th Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Denny Barney and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery signed the 2018 budget for the County Attorney’s Office. The budget offers fiscal responsibility in the next...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 27, 2017
PHOENIX— Arizona will mark the 35th annual observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with a recognition and awards presentation event April 4th at El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium in Phoenix. State leaders and representatives from ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 21, 2017
PHOENIX— Maricopa County residents can get information on how to prevent crime in their neighborhoods, improve their own personal safety, and how criminal activity trends may impact them at the 2017 County Attorney’s Citizen Safety For...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 6, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Joshua Hicks (D.O.B. 10/18/1984) was sentenced to 18.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by four years of supervised probation upon release, for 2 counts of Aggravated Assault, 1 count of Leaving the Scene o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 3, 2017
PHOENIX- Continuing the successful campaign “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to offer St. Patrick’s Day revelers an incentive not t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2017
PHOENIX— On Saturday March 4th the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will be supporting the efforts of the Damion Gosa Memorial Foundation in their 3rd Annual Freedom from Violence Walk.
The 5K will begin at 9 a.m. at South Pointe Eleme...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 24, 2017
PHOENIX— One February 23rd Christopher Wright (D.O.B. 08/29/1977) plead guilty to two counts of 1st Degree Murder for shooting and killing his wife, Nasbah Laverne Wriqht and a good Samaritan who stopped to help, Tomas Ornelas.
“This pl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 24, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Gary Moran (D.O.B. 08/12/1959) pled guilty to 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault and Burglary in the death of a priest and severe attack of another priest at a Phoenix mission during a burglary.
“The defendant took the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 21, 2017
PHOENIX— Alan Faygenblat (D.O.B. 10/31/1978) was sentenced on February 14, 2017 to 12 months unsupervised probation and 160 hours of community restitution, for False Voter Registration, a class 1 misdemeanor.
In September of 2016, Faygenblat electronically...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 18, 2017
PHOENIX— As previously announced, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office will no longer detain County jail inmates facing a civil immigration detainer beyond the period of time for detention authorized under Arizona State law. This concl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 6, 2017
PHOENIX— Alonzo Vargas (D.O.B. 09/24/1998) was sentenced today to three years of supervised probation and 40 hours of community service for one count of interfering with an educational intuition, a Class 6 Felony.
In October of 2016 Vargas posted...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 1, 2017
PHOENIX— This weekend many will gather together to enjoy watching the big game and all the festivities that surround the Super Bowl, including food and alcohol. Recently, advocates for responsible drinking partnered with a tortilla chip company ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 27, 2017
PHOENIX— Yesterday a jury found Aaron Dutra (D.O.B. 08/23/1968) guilty of Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping for the robbery of a 16-year-old cashier at a restaurant in 2016.
“This defendant has eight prior felony convict...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 27, 2017
PHOENIX, AZ (January 31, 2012) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office today mourns the untimely loss of retired State Supreme Court Justice and former colleague Mike Ryan, who dedicated more than three decades of exemplary public serv...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 20, 2017
PHOENIX— Today Jawon Smith (D.O.B. 11/27/1989) was sentenced to 102 years in the Department of Corrections for one count of Sex Trafficking, four counts of Child Prostitution and one count of Disorderly Conduct.
“This defendant preyed o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 13, 2017
PHOENIX— On December 15, 2016 former police officer Jeffery Streeter (D.O.B. 10/07/1970) pled guilty to a total of six counts of voyeurism, each a Class 5 Felony. He was sentenced today to three years in the Department of Corrections, with a ter...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 13, 2017
PHOENIX—Tilfert Vaughn (D.O.B. 12/01/1960) will serve in a total of 56 years in the Department of Corrections, after being sentenced for six counts of burglary, aggravated assault, sexual assault and kidnapping.
“This case illustrates t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 11, 2017
PHOENIX— Rebekah Mellon (D.O.B. 09/09/1980) pled guilty to 2nd Degree Murder for the shooting death of her husband Donald Mellon at their home in 2012. She will not be eligible for early release and faces a sentencing range of 18-22 years in the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 3, 2017
PHOENIX- On Wednesday January 4th , Bill Montgomery will return as one of the longest serving elected county officials, starting his third term as County Attorney. He will be sworn in by newly appointed Arizona Supreme Court Judge Andrew Gould at a County...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 21, 2016
PHOENIX- A jury returned a verdict recently in favor of Maricopa County in Lisa Randall v. Maricopa County, a lawsuit involving the Office of the Medical Examiner. In 2007, an investigation into the death of a four-month-old infant resulted in the prosecu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 20, 2016
PHOENIX- Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement after the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed the Superior Court’s rulings striking down Maricopa County’s medical marijuana dispensary zoning. The court ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 13, 2016
PHOENIX- As calendars fill up with holiday parties and New Year celebrations, one partnership wants to help you schedule an essential part of every night out… a safe way home. Building on the success of its “Save Lives, Don’...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 12, 2016
PHOENIX- A woman who recruited teens to help sell fake coupon books, claiming they benefitted a charity, was sentenced to six concurrent prison terms. Christina Pacheco (DOB 05-13-1974) was charged with participating in a criminal syndicate, fraudulent sc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 12, 2016
PHOENIX- Eugene Maraventano (DOB 02-22-1949) was sentenced today to 25 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for two counts of 2nd Degree Murder for killing his wife and adult son in 2013.
On April 6, 2013 Goodyear police were called to the home o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 2, 2016
PHOENIX- Gary Eisenmann (D.O.B. 10-15-1969) was convicted this week of 86 felony and misdemeanor counts, from two separate indictments ranging from burglary to discharge of a firearm, all in connection to at least 16 home burglaries across the Valley in 2...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2016
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office today launched a new communication tool in an ongoing effort to provide information to the community. “The Opening Statement” is a blog that will focus on key topics in...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 23, 2016
PHOENIX— On Tuesday, November 22, 2016, U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell granted summary judgment on behalf of Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County, and the State of Arizona. The s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 22, 2016
PHOENIX— On Tuesday, November 22, 2016, the Arizona Supreme Court issued an opinion in the case of State of Arizona v. Christian Adair. The case concerns the constitutional standards that apply to a warrantless search of a probationer’...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 18, 2016
PHOENIX— The National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) named Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery as Co-chair of the Metropolitan Prosecutors Committee during their recent Fall Board Meeting in California. This new appointment comes aft...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 16, 2016
PHOENIX— This week, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office participated in the very first Association of Prosecuting Attorneys’ Regional Training for Prosecutor-Led Diversion, held here in Phoenix.
“We have strived to...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 10, 2016
PHOENIX— Avelino Guzman Tamala (DOB 6/4/1963) was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder, for the death of three-year-old Crystal Reyes. This verdict marks the culmination of nearly two decades of investigation by multiple agencies, including cold ca...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 24, 2016
PHOENIX Issa Said Saleh (D.O.B. 04/15/1954) was sentenced today to 10 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for one count of aggravated assault, a dangerous felony, followed by 3 years of supervised probation for a second count of aggravated assa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 21, 2016
PHOENIX—Ryan Reed (DOB 12/03/85) and Allison Clement (DOB 12/18/84) were sentenced today for their actions that led to the death of Savannah Cross just weeks before her 3rd birthday. Reed was sentenced to 35 years in the Department of Correction...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 19, 2016
PHOENIX—On Friday, October 21st the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is encouraging our media partners to join us for Friday Night Football Patrol (FNFP) at Central High School in Phoenix. Volunteers will be encouraging students to si...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 14, 2016
PHOENIX—Javier Aguayo (DOB 07/01/91) was sentenced today to life without the possibly of parole for 25 years plus an additional 32.5 years in the Department of Corrections for Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder, ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 10, 2016
PHOENIX— Starting on October 10th the Family Violence Bureau at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will begin operating as two geographically-based bureaus to more effectively serve communities across Maricopa County.
“By d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 3, 2016
PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Police Department will hold a joint press conference to announce recent sex assault kit grant awards on Tuesday, October 4th at 9:00 a.m. in the 8th Floor Conference room ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 30, 2016
PHOENIX— During the month of October the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will be joining with partners nationwide to support Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Our state has seen the damage this issue can inflict not only on victims,...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 30, 2016
PHOENIX – Over the past week several high schools in Maricopa County have been the targets of threats made through social media postings. Fortunately there does not appear to be substance thus far to these threats of violence. However, each and ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 22, 2016
PHOENIX—The Arizona Court of Appeals handed down a key opinion in State v. Martinson, the case of a father accused of killing his five-year-old son in 2004. The Court of Appeals found that the trial judge’s rulings that precluded evide...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 20, 2016
PHOENIX—Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement in response to today’s release of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report.
“President Barack Obama...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 20, 2016
PHOENIX— On September 13, 2016, the Arizona Supreme Court voted 3-2 to leave Arizona law unchanged regarding the charges of sexual abuse and molestation of a child. Since at least 1988, state law has allowed those accused of specific sexual offe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 19, 2016
PHOENIX— On September 16, 2016, former track coach, Christopher McKenna (DOB 06/07/78) was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections for one count of sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of aggravated luring of a minor for sex...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 16, 2016
PHOENIX— The final defendant in “Operation Tin Man,” the largest auto theft crime syndicate investigation MCAO has ever prosecuted, has been sentenced. Charles Flowers (D.O.B. 1/20/1962) was sentenced to four years in the Dep...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 8, 2016
September 8, 2016
PHOENIX— Jaime Norberto Sapien (D.O.B. 08/16/1984) and Jesse Armando Monroy (D.O.B. 05/14/1976) each received a total sentence of 30years in the Department of Corrections for the 2015 burglary and murder of a 53-year-old pastor ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 1, 2016
PHOENIX— Misty Lee Wilke (D.O.B. 6/20/62) was sentenced today to 6.5 years in the Department of Corrections on one count of aggravated assault, to be followed by 3 years of supervised probation on one count of leaving the scene of a serious inju...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 18, 2016
PHOENIX—The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) Investigations Division has been awarded Advanced Accreditation from the highly-respected Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Known as “the go...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 18, 2016
PHOENIX— Miguel Angel Maldonado was sentenced today to eight months in jail and five years of supervised probation for his actions that led to a car crash and serious injuries to three victims in another car, and the passenger in his car. Maldon...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 12, 2016
PHOENIX— The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) today launched a new feature on its website that makes it easier for non-profit organizations to apply for funding through its Community Grants program.
“MCAO’s C...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 11, 2016
PHOENIX— The Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC) named Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery as the new State Director for Arizona for the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) to replace retiring Greenl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 3, 2016
PHOENIX— The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) released a report on completion of a Pilot Cities Project, in which the City of Mesa was selected to participate. The project, Intelligence-Led Communi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 1, 2016
PHOENIX— James King was sentenced to 283.5 years in the Department of Corrections for ten counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, each a class 2 felony and considered Dangerous Crimes against Children. Each count carried 28 years flat plus 3.5...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 22, 2016
PHOENIX—Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has announced that no charges will be filed against Winslow Police Officer Austin Shipley in the shooting that led to the death of Loreal Tsingine.
“After a careful review of the facts su...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 20, 2016
PHOENIX— MCAO’s first victim support dog, Sam, submitted his resignation today to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. In a unanimous vote, the Board approved a motion for Sam to continue to live with his handler and Victim Advoca...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 11, 2016
PHOENIX—Christopher Simcox (11/29/1960) was sentenced today to 19.5 years in the Department of Corrections for two counts of molestation of a child and one count of furnishing obscene materials to a minor. He was convicted on June 8, 2016.
&l...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 1, 2016
PHOENIX— Zakary Howard (D.O.B. 9/23/1993) was sentenced today to 18 years in the Department of Corrections for his role in the April 2015 shooting death of a friend. Howard’s co-defendant and the convicted shooter, Richard Burns, was s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 30, 2016
PHOENIX— James Clayton Johnson (D.O.B. 8/2/1983) has received the sentence of death for the brutal stabbing murder of an employee at Taiwan Massage in Mesa in 2010.
“The defendant perpetrated the vicious slaughter of an innocent woman,&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 30, 2016
PHOENIX – A settlement agreement was entered into today with Jesse Todd Hughes (D.O.B. 9/28/1982) and Maleisa Maurine Hughes (D.O.B. 9/10/1969), owners of the Green Acres Boarding facility in Mesa for the death of 23 dogs left in their care. The...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 28, 2016
PHOENIX— Kalie Rutledge (D.O.B. 8/13/1993) was sentenced to three years of supervised probation with an initial 90 days in jail for the assault of two Chinese ASU students. The defendant pled guilty to one count of Class 6 felony assault. She wi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 27, 2016
PHOENIX—The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has received the Maricopa Association of Governments 2016 Desert Peaks Public Partnership Award for its collaboration with multiple county agencies, the courts and Mercy Integrated Care on ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 15, 2016
PHOENIX—The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) has received three National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for its innovative community programs: Friday Night Football Patrol, Safe Kids Summer and the &ldquo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 10, 2016
PHOENIX—Ryan Elliott Giroux (D.O.B. 12/26/73) was sentenced today to Natural Life in the Department of Corrections for one count of murder plus 81 years for an additional 22 counts including one count of attempted murder and eight counts of aggr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 8, 2016
PHOENIX—Christopher Simcox (11/29/1960) was found guilty today on two counts of molestation of a child and one count of furnishing obscene materials to a minor, for his conduct with a young girl.
Between April 21, 2012, and May 23, 2013, during s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 7, 2016
PHOENIX—MCAO staff volunteers are heading out into the community for another season of Safe Kids Summer as part of our ongoing effort to provide safety education and awareness to the public. Booths will be set up at locations around the Valley t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 6, 2016
PHOENIX—The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is launching a new Summer Learning Series for kids ages 6-12. Community Affairs Coordinators will be delivering curriculum-based safety programming at summer camps and other youth organizat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 3, 2016
PHOENIX—Alvin Ray McClellan (09/21/1969), a former middle school teacher’s aide and gym teacher at Mohave Middle School, was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections on count 1 of sexual exploitation of a minor, followed ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 1, 2016
PHOENIX – As Arizona is reaching triple-digit temperatures, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is today launching its “Don’t Leave Me Behind!” vehicular heatstroke awareness campaign. A mobile billboard...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 27, 2016
PHOENIX—Keishaun Green (D.O.B. 06/26/1992) was sentenced today to Natural Life in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the 2013 murder of a convenience store clerk, Ibrahim Robles, Sr. He is also sentenced to a consecutive 25 year term for ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 27, 2016
Faces a Minimum of 149.25 Years in Prison
PHOENIX— Leon Jerome Daniels (03/24/1987) has been found guilty on 17 counts related to the trafficking of three females--two adults and one minor--for sex around the time of the 2015 Super Bowl in Phoeni...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 27, 2016
PHOENIX—Three protesters charged with blocking a road leading to a Trump rally in March have entered into a plea agreement. Michael Cassidy, Stephany Laughlin and Jacinta Gonzalez pled guilty to Obstructing a Highway/Public Thoroughfare, a class...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 20, 2016
PHOENIX – Kevin Francois (D.O.B. 02/19/1966) was sentenced today to 137.75 years—the maximum allowed—in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the brutal rape of a 19-year-old ASU student in 2003.
“This case is an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2016
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today announced that he will not file charges in the December 3, 2015 shooting death of Ivan Krstic by Mesa Police Officer Dustin Gransee.
“After a thorough review of the evidence, incl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2016
PHOENIX – Tracy Elise (D.O.B. 12/20/1960), the self-proclaimed Mother High Priestess of the Phoenix Goddess Temple, been ordered to serve a term of 4.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for operating a house of prostitution. Under t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 10, 2016
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will join with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for shooting a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 9, 2016
PHOENIX – Judge Pamela Gates today sentenced Andre Antonio Adams (D.O.B. 3/8/1983) to a term of 330.75 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for causing two 15-year-old girls to engage in prostitution and for providing them with drugs. ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2016
PHOENIX – Danny Ledezma Martinez (D.O.B. 10/16/1979) will spend the rest of his natural life in prison for fatally shooting Phoenix Police Officer Travis Murphy in 2010. In the sentence imposed today by the Honorable Teresa Sanders, Martinez was...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 4, 2016
PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has completed a review of a case submitted by the Mesa Police Department involving a Red Mountain High School student arrested Saturday for allegedly exposing himself in a team photo that...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 2, 2016
PHOENIX – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today lifted a preliminary injunction that effectively blocked the prosecution of individuals accused of using another’s identity in order to gain employment, leaving hundreds o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 18, 2016
PHOENIX - Local residents can learn how to reduce crime and improve their personal safety and security at the 2016 Citizen Safety Forum, a series of free informational seminars presented by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Offered at locat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 11, 2016
PHOENIX – Arizona will mark the 34th annual observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with a luncheon and awards presentation event today at 11:30 a.m. at The Duce restaurant in Phoenix. State leaders and representatives from l...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 4, 2016
PHOENIX - In support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office wants the public to know that victims of sexual assault can receive a free forensic medical examination.
“Sexual assault survivors ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 19, 2016
PRESS RELEASE BY OPERATION WELCOME HOME & AZ WALL PROJECT
Gilbert, Ariz., (March 19, 2016) – Operation Welcome Home will hold a Ground Blessing and Ceremonial Ground Breaking from 10:00 - 11:30 AM for Welcome Home Veterans Park on the propert...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 11, 2016
PHOENIX - Building on the success of its “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with ride-sharing service Uber to offer St. Patrick’s Day revelers an incentiv...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 7, 2016
PHOENIX – A Phoenix man accused of repeatedly stalking and harassing two female victims has been sentenced to one-and-a-half years in prison followed by a 20-year term of probation. Donald Lee Scott (D.O.B. 7-31-1962) pled guilty to one count of...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 4, 2016
PHOENIX –Maricopa County prosecutors filed a Direct Complaint today charging a Mesa Police Officer with second degree murder for fatally shooting a suspect during an incident that occurred last January at a local hotel. Philip Mitchell Brailsfor...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 24, 2016
PHOENIX – Effective immediately, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will discontinue providing iPhones as option for replacements or upgrades for existing employees. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced the decision to...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 12, 2016
PHOENIX – Wade Eugene Bradford (D.O.B. 6/17/1960) has been sentenced to a term of natural life in prison for the 2006 murder of Eleanor Su Pigon, whose body was discovered in 2014 as Bradford was awaiting trial for a murder he committed in 2010....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 11, 2016
PHOENIX – Members of the public will have an opportunity to safely destroy unneeded financial records and prescription medications at a free Shred-A-Thon hosted by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in partnership with Iron Mountain...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 9, 2016
PHOENIX – A man whose one-year-old son died after he left the child unattended in a hot car for over four hours will spend more than two decades in prison. Brokale Lytte Marques (D.O.B. 10/13/1984) was charged with murder and child abuse. He wai...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 9, 2016
PHOENIX – After smoking a blunt of marijuana, 19-year-old Robert Joseph Lopez (D.O.B. 7/15/1995) got behind the wheel of a Saturn sedan and took four passengers on a reckless, high speed ride on Interstate 10 before losing control of the car and...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 3, 2016
PHOENIX – After deliberating for less than four hours, a jury has found Adam Mena Angulo (D.O.B. 5/5/1973) guilty of second degree murder for fatally shooting Leo Chavez, Jr. outside a Phoenix bar in 2004. After remaining unsolved for nearly a d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 8, 2016
PHOENIX – Due to the overwhelming success of the recent “Save Lives, Don’t DUI” campaign, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Uber will extend their partnership to offer a twenty-dollar discount to f...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 16, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is announcing a partnership with ridesharing service Uber today to provide a safe, affordable transportation alternative for local residents during the holiday season. As part of the MCAO&rs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 11, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will not file criminal charges against State Board of Education President Greg Miller for an alleged assault against Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas that occurred during a boa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 8, 2015
PHOENIX – A local horse riding instructor and trainer accused of sexually abusing seven young girls between 2002 and 2009 has been found guilty on all counts. After five indictments and two mistrials, Ralph Lawrence Carr (D.O.B. 5/27/1946) now f...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 4, 2015
PHOENIX – An intoxicated driver who struck and killed an on-duty Chandler Police officer last year will serve a 14-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Under terms of the sentence imposed today by the Honorable Judge Warren Granvi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 2, 2015
PHOENIX – Ninety people convicted of sex crimes who evaded their court-ordered requirement to register as a sex offender have been located and 26 have been re-arrested as a result of a recent coordinated operation by the Maricopa County Attorney...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 19, 2015
PHOENIX – A woman who left her nine-month and 23-month-old sons unattended in a parked van last August while she went shopping has been found guilty of felony child abuse. Amanda Hope Gomez-Vidal (D.O.B. 5/13/1985) told police she was away from ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 9, 2015
PHOENIX – Members of the public are invited to a free document shredding event hosted by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to reduce the risk of identity theft. Destroying unneeded tax returns, billing statements and other papers w...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 30, 2015
PHOENIX – Crime in Maricopa County continues to fall by a greater margin than the nation as a whole, according to the latest data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In its annual report, Crime in the United States, 2014, the FBI no...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 23, 2015
PHOENIX – Based upon information developed over the course of the criminal investigation to date, prosecutors have filed a direct complaint against Leslie Allen Merritt, Jr. (D.O.B. 6/20/1994) alleging sixteen felony counts in connection with a ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 21, 2015
PHOENIX - The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) will host a free family-friendly movie night at Goodyear Ballpark on Saturday, September 26 to mark the start of Domestic Violence Awareness month in October and to raise funds for the New L...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2015
PHOENIX – A jury today returned guilty verdicts for Christopher Rey Licon (D.O.B. 1/26/1991), accused of fatally shooting his brother and six-year-old nephew and attempting to conceal evidence of the crime. His trial continues tomorrow with the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2015
PHOENIX – A pair of former prison cell mates are facing multiple felony charges for allegedly committing a string of armed robberies and carjackings while on parole. Dennis Lee Matthews (D.O.B. 10/16/1980) and Chad Forrest Whiteford (D.O.B. 9/12...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 11, 2015
PHOENIX – A bank robber whose accomplice was killed in a shootout with a security guard will serve a 25-year sentence in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Vincent Robert Jones (D.O.B. 12/14/1992) pled guilty to all charges in a 37-count ind...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 10, 2015
PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will receive a $1.9 million grant from the New York County District Attorney’s Office to analyze previously untested sexual assault evidence kits. The award is one of the larges...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 28, 2015
PHOENIX - Lawyers for Maricopa County are asking a federal district court to honor the County’s right to represent itself in a 2007 class action lawsuit alleging discriminatory policing by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The Coun...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 22, 2015
PHOENIX – A prison inmate serving a sentence for murder will receive the death penalty for brutally killing another prisoner in 2010. Jasper Phillip Rushing (D.O.B. 5/18/1980) was serving a sentence of life without parole for 25 years for the 20...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 21, 2015
PHOENIX – A homicide case that remained unsolved for more than 25 years came to a final conclusion today when the Honorable Judge Sam Myers sentenced Cudellious Love (D.O.B. 12/4/1955) to a life term in the Arizona Department of Corrections with...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 20, 2015
PHOENIX – After a lengthy trial involving testimony from over fifty witnesses and seven victims, a jury today returned multiple guilty verdicts against Anthony Greg Gehon (11/26/1954) in connection with an extensive prostitution enterprise he op...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 17, 2015
PHOENIX – The mother of a five-year-old girl who disappeared in 2011 will spend the rest of her life in prison after being found guilty last April of her daughter’s murder. Jerice Hunter (D.O.B. 10/13/1973) was also sentenced to a cons...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 10, 2015
PHOENIX – The final chapter in the story of a failed business relationship came to a conclusion today when Judge Joseph Kreamer sentenced Chad Justin Norris (D.O.B. 7/21/1979) to a term of 18 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 10, 2015
PHOENIX – Wade Eugene Bradford (D.O.B. 6/17/1960) will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of release for the cold blooded killing of his former girlfriend, Natalie Allan in 2010. The Honorable M. Scott McCoy also senten...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 26, 2015
PHOENIX – An armed robber who hit three Mesa businesses that sold cell phones was sentenced to serve a term of 38 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections today. Patrick Dwayne Porter (D.O.B. 8/4/1983) was also sentenced for a separate cas...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 16, 2015
PHOENIX - Prosecutors moved to dismiss without prejudice child abuse counts against Hemie and Wedeh Dio and Judge Bruce Cohen granted the State’s motion today.
In 2007, the Dio family relocated their family to Arizona from war-torn Liberia and re...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 5, 2015
PHOENIX – A paroled convict who terrified a neighborhood and held a woman and her children hostage during a lengthy and violent standoff with Mesa Police will serve an 18-year sentence in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Michael Brandon Hu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 4, 2015
PHOENIX – “Don’t Leave Me Behind!” is the message motorists will see on a mobile billboard truck travelling throughout Maricopa County this summer, warning of the dangers of leaving young children and animals in una...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 2, 2015
PHOENIX - Late in the afternoon of May 28, 2015, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office received notice of a recent FBI Bulletin describing an amendment to the 1999 and 2001 FBI Short Tandem Repeats (STR) Population Data due to clerical and trans...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 1, 2015
PHOENIX – Rejecting Arizona’s experience with Defendants fleeing prosecution, the U.S. Supreme Court will let stand a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that permits criminal suspects in Arizona without lawful authority who...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2015
PHOENIX – Yavapai Silent Witness is offering a $10,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a driver suspected of causing a fatal car crash that claimed the life of Sonya Teresa Coronado, an employee of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Offic...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2015
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has reinstated animal cruelty charges against the owners of Green Acre Boarding in Gilbert in connection with the deaths of 21 dogs and the injury of four others that occurred in June, 2014. Jesse Todd Hugh...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 6, 2015
PHOENIX - Twenty-two years after Debra Shipton was found murdered in her Mesa apartment, her suspected killer has been charged with the crime. Raymond H. Hanley (D.O.B 1/27/1953) faces charges of first degree murder, burglary; kidnapping and arson of an o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 4, 2015
PHOENIX – An apparent act of road rage has claimed the life of a dedicated employee of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. On April 10, 2015, Sonya Coronado, a legal secretary in the Civil Division, was seriously injured after her v...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 27, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today on the State v. Jerice Hunter verdict:
“We never forgot Jhessey and may the memory of her suffering and the end of a life that came all too soon mot...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 24, 2015
PHOENIX – Seventeen years after he engaged in sexual acts with a 13-year-old boy, Arthur Rey Juarez (D.O.B. 7/20/1970) is in the custody of the Arizona Department of Corrections where he will serve a 33-year sentence. His crimes occurred between...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2015
PHOENIX – The Arizona Supreme Court will allow prosecutors to use blood test results provided by the Scottsdale Crime Lab (SCL) in a series of DUI cases against Defendants who had challenged the reliability of the lab’s equipment. In r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2015
PHOENIX – A repeat felon who committed three armed robberies and a murder in the space of a month is on his way to prison today, where he will spend the rest of his life. Ryan William Foote (D.O.B. 5/15/1989) was sentenced by the Honorable Judge...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 21, 2015
PHOENIX – The Arizona Supreme Court declined to overturn an Appeals Court ruling that imposes sanctions against the Committee for Justice and Fairness (CJF), a political committee that broadcast commercials attacking Tom Horne shortly before the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 9, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today on adoption petition services provided by the County Attorney’s Office:
Under Arizona law, “Prospective adoptive parents have no absolute ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 23, 2015
PHOENIX - Darren Mallory Sharper (D.O.B. 11/3/1975) pled guilty today to offenses stemming from a November, 2013 sexual encounter and was sentenced to a nine year prison term. At a change of plea hearing before the Honorable Judge Warren Granville in Phoe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 17, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s denial of the State’s Petition for Review of a Special Action Decision dismissing charges with...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 12, 2015
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today in response to recent reports of threats and intimidation made against a member of the jury in State v. Jodi Arias:
Claims of juror misconduct in any trial ar...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 5, 2015
PHOENIX– A Maricopa County jury is unable to reach a decision on whether Jodi Ann Arias (D.O.B. 7/9/1980) should be sentenced to death for the 2008 murder of Travis Alexander. This is the second jury to reach an impasse in the penalty phase of t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 4, 2015
PHOENIX – Senior prosecutors from 15 states are in Phoenix for a two-day conference to discuss a range of initiatives designed to improve performance of the overall prosecution function and the criminal justice system. The nationwide “...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 25, 2015
PHOENIX – Police and prosecutors in Maricopa County will follow updated procedures for investigating incidents of domestic violence and holding offenders accountable. The process is detailed in the Maricopa County Domestic Violence Protocol Manu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 18, 2015
PHOENIX – Edgar Garcia (D.O.B. 8/13/1980) faces more than 100 years in prison for repeatedly raping and molesting his stepdaughters over a seven-year period. After a two-week trial, a Maricopa County jury convicted Garcia on multiple counts of s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 12, 2015
PHOENIX – A major organized crime ring accused of stealing thousands of dollars of baby formula from local grocery stores is out of commission thanks to a successful investigation and enforcement action by Scottsdale Police, the Maricopa County ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 10, 2015
PHOENIX - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery strongly supports Governor Doug Ducey’s appointment of current Chief of the Office of Child Welfare Investigations, Greg McKay, to serve as Director of the Department of Child Safety.
“...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 10, 2015
PHOENIX – Law enforcement authorities are attempting to locate an accomplice to the January 2012 murders of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro. Barry Michael Hassell II (D.O.B. 10/2/1983) is charged with two counts of felony first degree murder for dri...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 29, 2015
Prescription drug disposal also available on site
PHOENIX– Members of the public will be able to safely destroy unused or expired prescription medications as well as unneeded documents containing personal information at a free event on Friday, Fe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 13, 2015
PHOENIX – A growing supply of inexpensive heroin is fueling an epidemic of addiction and criminal activity in Arizona, with devastating effects on young users in particular. The problem is the subject of “Hooked: Tracking Heroin&rs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 22, 2014
PHOENIX – Prosecutors will move to dismiss without prejudice animal cruelty counts against all four defendants charged with causing the deaths of 21 dogs at the Green Acre dog boarding facility last June. One count of fraud will remain against J...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 19, 2014
PHOENIX – 17 years after four-year-old Crystal Reyes disappeared, Avelino Guzman Tamala (D.O.B. 6/4/1963) is in custody facing charges for her murder. His indictment marks the culmination of nearly two decades of investigation by multiple agenci...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 5, 2014
PHOENIX – Juan Garcia (D.O.B. 7/12/1993) will serve a 25-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for beating his girlfriend’s two-year-old son to death after the child refused to eat his dinner. Garcia pled guilty earlier th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 24, 2014
PHOENIX –Michelle Dawn Gibson (D.O.B. 9/5/1971) is now facing a life prison sentence after a jury today found her guilty of conspiring with her children and their friends to murder her husband, Steven Gibson. Her son, Steven Gibson Jr., was sent...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 13, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to today’s ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States denying the County’s request to stay a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Cour...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 7, 2014
PHOENIX – The Supreme Court of the United States today ordered a stay of a recent judgment by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned Arizona’s law denying bail for undocumented suspects charged with serious crimes. In reque...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 31, 2014
PHOENIX –In an order issued today, the Arizona Court of Appeals granted a request for oral argument by Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery in White Mountain Health Center v. Maricopa County. The appeal seeks review of previous trial court r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 30, 2014
One in six Arizona 12th grade students who use marijuana obtains their drugs from someone with a medical marijuana card.
PHOENIX - Arizona’s top prosecutors are calling for political and civic leaders to oppose the legalization of marijuana for r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 27, 2014
PHOENIX – A suspected rapist whose conviction was reversed in 2010 after a legal challenge by the Arizona Justice Project now faces ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. John Kenneth Watkins (D.O.B. 6/3/1983) was arrested on the new char...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 24, 2014
PHOENIX – Ian MacDonald (D.O.B. 8/25/1986) will spend the next 18 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for fatally stabbing Tyrice Thompson during a fight outside a Scottsdale nightclub last year. MacDonald was convicted on one count o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 23, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Bill Montgomery is asking a federal appeals court to delay the implementation of a recent ruling that allows undocumented aliens who are charged with a serious felony to be released on bail. In an emergency motion filed...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 15, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to today’s opinion issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that Proposition 100 violates the Fourteenth Amendment....
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 15, 2014
PHOENIX – The Grand Jurors of Maricopa County have handed down an indictment charging Jesse Todd Hughes, Maleisa Maurine Hughes, Austin Lane Flake and Logan Flake with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals in connection wi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 8, 2014
PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will serve as a mentor to other prosecution agencies in several critical practice areas as part of an innovative program developed by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. As one of e...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 22, 2014
PHOENIX – In recognition of the ongoing public interest in the Gilbert Green Acre investigation, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office provides the following update: Deputy County Attorneys have completed their initial review of approx...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 18, 2014
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona is spreading misinformation about an upcoming law enforcement training seminar on Islamic extremism sponsored by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. A letter distributed to med...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 16, 2014
PHOENIX – A pair of gang members are facing lengthy prison terms following their convictions yesterday on multiple felony counts related to a shooting that occurred outside a Tempe nightclub in March, 2012. Bryston Ware (D.O.B. 4/19/1990) and Ra...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 12, 2014
PHOENIX – An Arizona inmate who has served 44 years of a life sentence for a murder he committed when he was 17 will be released as part of a resolution to reduce his sentence to time served. Ray Chatman (D.O.B. 8/21/1952) was convicted of first...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 5, 2014
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County Jury today sentenced Dauntorian Lydel Sanders (D.O.B 4/12/1986) to death by lethal injection for fatally beating Schala Vera, his girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter, in 2009. He was convicted of first degr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 28, 2014
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County jury imposed a sentence of death by lethal injection against Bryan Wayne Hulsey (D.O.B. 11/26/1973) for the 2007 murder of Glendale Police Officer Anthony Holly. Hulsey was also sentenced to a term of 9 years for the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 27, 2014
PHOENIX – A report released by Shared Hope International in collaboration with Arizona State University College of Public Programs presents an inaccurate picture of how child prostitution and sex trafficking crimes are prosecuted in Maricopa Cou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 25, 2014
PHOENIX – An impaired motorist who fatally struck a bicyclist and fled will serve a five-year prison sentence and remain on probation for four years after his release. Matthew Stephen McIver (D.O.B. 11/3/1976) was identified, apprehended and ind...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 18, 2014
PHOENIX – County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced a new organizational structure for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office today designed to enhance the prosecution of serious felony offenses. Eleven specialized crime bureaus previou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 11, 2014
PHOENIX – A mobile billboard truck will travel Valley streets and highways throughout the month of August carrying a warning message about the dangers of leaving an unattended child or a pet in a parked car. The signage, which depicts a child an...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 7, 2014
PHOENIX – The Committee for Justice and Fairness (CJF) should have registered as a political committee and disclosed its financial contributors when the group created television ads attacking Tom Horne’s candidacy for Arizona Attorney ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 1, 2014
PHOENIX – A Mesa Police Officer stands accused of engaging in sexual contact with two female victims without their consent and molesting a child under the age of 15, according to a Maricopa Grand Jury indictment. Justin Cherry (D.O.B. 7/5/1980) ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 28, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement following today’s guilty verdicts in State v. Bryan Wayne Hulsey:
“Though the case is not final, today’s verdicts mark a long-awaited ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 24, 2014
PHOENIX - The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has reached a resolution with a company that was used by convicted felon Sherman E. Unkefer III (D.O.B. 9/21/1943) to conceal his assets and avoid paying millions of dollars in court-ordered restit...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 18, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will dismiss child abuse charges against Shanesha Shaine Taylor (D.O.B. 1/22/1979) if she successfully completes parenting and substance abuse treatment programs and establishes education and ch...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 14, 2014
PHOENIX - A Maricopa County Grand Jury has delivered an indictment charging Alison Clement and Ryan Reed with second degree murder and child abuse in connection with the December, 2012 death of a nearly three-year-old girl in their care. Reed is also char...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 27, 2014
PHOENIX – Prosecutors with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will greatly reduce the amount of paperwork they have to handle by using a new online criminal case management system to create and exchange electronic documents with the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 20, 2014
PHOENIX – A man whose infant son died after he was left in a parked car more than two hours last August has been sentenced to a term of four years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by a seven-year term of probation. Daniel B. Gra...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 18, 2014
PHOENIX – Twenty-five years after Laura Hunding was stabbed to death, a suspect has been identified and taken into custody. Cudellious Love (D.O.B. 12/4/1955) was arrested on June 13, 2014 and charged with premeditated first degree murder, sexua...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 18, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to the announcement of a complaint filed by the ACLU on behalf of Puente Arizona against Maricopa County, the Maricopa County Sheriff, the Maricopa Cou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 17, 2014
PHOENIX– Employee volunteers from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will be out in force throughout the community this summer offering a free program that teaches children about personal safety and provides parents with resources t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 9, 2014
PHOENIX – Federal officials who apprehend children in border enforcement actions and then leave them unattended at locations in Arizona may be guilty of felony child abuse under state law, warns Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. In a let...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 30, 2014
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County Superior Court has appointed a Receiver to take custody of the assets of a convicted fraud artist who failed to pay up to $7.5 million in court ordered restitution to his victims. The action is the result of a recentl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 30, 2014
PHOENIX – A gunman who fired on a Chandler Police Officer and a civilian observer who was in the officer’s vehicle has been found guilty of multiple counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault after a two week trial. Steven Ramir...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 28, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced that there is insufficient evidence to establish a reasonable likelihood of conviction on animal cruelty charges involving the death of Department of Corrections Officer Jesse Dorantes...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 19, 2014
PHOENIX – A man who used Facebook to lure and sexually exploit underage victims will spend 24 years in prison and will not be eligible for early release under any circumstances. Michael Dean Ross (D.O.B. 7/24/1970) pled guilty to charges stemmin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 30, 2014
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County Jury has returned a verdict to impose a life sentence on Marissa Devault who was convicted for the 2009 murder of her husband, Dale Harrell. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2014.
“We appreciate th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2014
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to today’s published opinion in State v. Harris (Shilgevorkyan) by the Supreme Court of the State of Arizona:
The only way the Court could rea...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 22, 2014
PHOENIX – Legislation enacted today will enhance the ability of Arizona prosecutors to hold offenders accountable for crimes related to human trafficking and child prostitution. House Bill 2454, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ed...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 2, 2014
PHOENIX – A man found with numerous images and videos on his computer depicting child pornography has been sentenced to a 170-year prison term after a jury found him guilty on ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Defendant John Landrum ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 31, 2014
PHOENIX – A recent Superior Court ruling throws into doubt exactly how much marijuana qualified patients are allowed to have under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA). Although the AMMA defines the “allowable amount of marijuana&a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 10, 2014
PHOENIX - Local residents can learn how to reduce crime and improve their personal safety and security at the 2014 Citizen Safety Forum, a series of free informational seminars presented by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Offered at locat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2014
PHOENIX – A fatal confrontation in a fast-food restaurant parking lot has resulted in an eight year prison sentence for Cordell Lamar Jude (D.O.B. 1/10/1990). Jude was found guilty of manslaughter last November for recklessly causing the death o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 11, 2014
PHOENIX – An armed robber who threatened employees and a Tempe Police officer at the Arizona Mills Mall in 2011 faces a lengthy prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of multiple felony offenses. Roger Nelson (D.O.B. 4/18/1992) is schedul...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 10, 2014
PHOENIX – Jorge Alberto Busso Jr. (D.O.B. 6/10/1987) has been sentenced to serve a term of 18 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for severely beating his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son after the child had soiled himself. The c...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 23, 2014
PHOENIX, AZ (January 23, 2014) – A man accused of the worst mass murder in Arizona history has been found guilty by a Maricopa County jury for a second time more than two decades after the crime. Johnathan A. Doody (D.O.B. 5/9/1974) was original...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 17, 2014
PHOENIX, AZ (January 17, 2014) – More than three decades after the murder of 19-year-old Alison Mims, her killer has been brought to justice. Patrick C. Ryon (D.O.B. 2/20/1960) was sentenced today to a term of 18 years in the Arizona Department ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 14, 2014
PHOENIX, AZ (January 14, 2014) – The Arizona Court of Appeals has cleared the way for ten DUI cases to move forward after determining that blood alcohol content (BAC) results provided by the Scottsdale Crime Lab (SCL) are admissible under Arizon...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 13, 2014
PHOENIX, AZ (January 13, 2014) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Arizona’s law prohibiting abortions after 20-wee...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 9, 2014
PHOENIX, AZ (January 9, 2014) – More than seven years after 75 year-old Patricia Staggs was beaten to death in her home, the man alleged to be responsible for her murder has been identified and charged. Jose Manuel Muros Nevares (D.O.B. 4/20/197...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 20, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (December 20, 2013) – A 35 year-old woman who posed as a teenager and had multiple separate sexual encounters with two underage males has been ordered to serve a term of 17 years in the Arizona Department of Correction. Under the ter...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 19, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (December 19, 2013) – A pair of repeat criminals received lengthy prison sentences in two separate hearings today for committing a series of violent home invasions, one of which led to the death of an elderly couple. Kevin Michael Ta...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 6, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (December 6, 2013) – A former Certified Public Accountant in Scottsdale who bilked six of his clients out of nearly $1 million will spend 35 years in prison, according to a sentence handed down today by the Honorable David B. Gass. D...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 5, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (December 5, 2013) – Joshua Barnes (D.O.B. 2/4/1980) has been ordered to serve two concurrent 15-year sentences in the Arizona Department of Corrections for a violent home invasion that victimized three elderly residents in Sun City ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 20, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (November 20, 2013) – Cordell Lamar Jude (D.O.B. 1/10/1990) is guilty of Manslaughter for recklessly causing the death of Daniel Adkins after a verbal altercation in a parking lot last year, according to a jury verdict delivered toda...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 7, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (November 7, 2013) – In a strongly-worded response to a recent series of articles that appeared in the Arizona Republic, County Attorney Bill Montgomery corrects numerous mischaracterizations about the role and responsibilities of pr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 31, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (October 31, 2013) – A new collaborative effort to solve cold cases has led to an indictment for a murder that remained unsolved for more than three decades. Teodoro Barron Corella, Jr. (D.O.B. 5/18/1957) faces one count of First Deg...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 23, 2013
Videos spread message in English and Spanish: “It’s your community. It’s your call.”
PHOENIX, AZ (October 23, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery urges County residents to “step out o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 23, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (October 18, 2013) – A convicted felon on parole who tried to murder the parents of a minor he was having a sexual relationship with was sentenced by the Honorable Harriett Chavez today to a term of 45 years in the Arizona Department...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 18, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (October 18, 2013) – A convicted felon on parole who tried to murder the parents of a minor he was having a sexual relationship with was sentenced by the Honorable Harriett Chavez today to a term of 45 years in the Arizona Department...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 15, 2013
Prosecuting Attorneys Discuss Unique Challenges Facing Large Urban Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 15, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery joined fellow prosecutors from other large jurisdictions in a roundtable discussion in Washing...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 11, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (October 11, 2013) – A man who fatally shot his former girlfriend last year in front of their children in a school parking lot will spend the rest of his life in prison with no eligibility for release. Thomas Lamont Moton (D.O.B. 10/...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 26, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (September 26, 2013) – A violent sexual predator will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for breaking into a woman’s apartment and violently attacking her in 2007. James Brian Kummer (D.O.B 9/8/1967) was sentence...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 17, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (September 17, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement regarding today’s jury verdict in State of Arizona vs. Richard Chrisman:
First, I want to thank the members of the jury for their...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 3, 2013
Partnership with Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace Focuses on Preventing Future Crimes
PHOENIX, AZ (September 3, 2013) – Valley high school students will compete for a chance to win cash prizes and showcase their filmmaking talents o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 3, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (September 3, 2013) – Nearly six years after a road rage incident that escalated into a fatal shooting, a Maricopa County jury delivered guilty verdicts today against John Chester Stuart (D.O.B. 6/21/1962) for one count each of Secon...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 30, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (August 30, 2013) – Volunteers with the Maricopa County Attorney’s office will kick off the third season of “Friday Night Football Patrol” at Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale this evening, where th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 16, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (August 16, 2013) – A Valley businessman who sold vehicles for customers but pocketed the money for himself will go to prison for 3.25 years followed by seven years of supervised probation. Stanley Dean Torgerson (D.O.B. 1/7/1946) wa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 12, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (August 12, 2013) – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s proposal to reduce the number of non-violent drug offenders who are sent to federal prison aims at a worthy goal yet misses the mark by sidestepping Congress, accordin...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 8, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (August 8, 2013) – Michael David Turley (D.O.B. 3/12/1973) will spend two weeks in jail and two years on supervised probation for devising a dangerous hoax that prompted an emergency response to a suspected terrorist incident. As par...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 7, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (August 7, 2013) - A serial burglar who evaded apprehension for more than a decade has been sentenced to 22.75 years in prison by the Honorable Pamela Svoboda. Robert James Neese (D.O.B. 3/15/53) became known as the “rock burglar&...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 30, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (July 30, 2013) – Twenty-five years after the brutal murder of Eric Rice, his killer has been brought to justice. Steven Michael Humelhans (D.O.B. 8/14/1970) was sentenced to a term of life in prison with the possibility of release a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 25, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (July 25, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has been recognized with a Meritorious Service Award from the Arizona Narcotic Officers Association (ANOA) for his outstanding efforts in support of Arizona Drug Law Enforcem...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 17, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (July 17, 2013) – Arizona law enforcement and criminal justice professionals are partnering to improve the way they investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence and child abuse at a series of specialized training events prese...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 10, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (July 10, 2013) – Auto thefts in Maricopa County dropped more than 8.5% in 2012, marking the fifth consecutive year of declines, according to the latest data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). In its annual ranking of M...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 1, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (July 1, 2013) – The Maricopa County Attorney and the Phoenix City Clerk each received a copy of a letter and related information regarding allegations of election law violation by a candidate for Phoenix City Council.
Under Arizona C...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 13, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (June 13, 2013) – The National Association of Counties (NACo) has recognized Maricopa County with a 2013 Achievement Award in the category of Criminal Justice and Public Safety for a program that has led to dramatic improvements in t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 12, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (June 12, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced today that his office will not seek criminal charges against Greg John Winslow (D.O.B. 11/8/1974). Winslow, a former Arizona State University swim coach, was invest...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 30, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 30, 2013) – Children will learn useful tips on how to stay safe at home, in public, around the pool and on the internet at Safe Kids Summer 2013, a series of free events held at local shopping malls, public parks and community p...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 23, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 23, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement in response to the lack of a unanimous decision in the penalty phase of State v. Jodi Ann Arias:
“We appreciate the jury’s ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 21, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 21, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement in response to today’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denying the Arizona legislature from prohibiting abor...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 17, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 17, 2013) – Marcos Rene Mendoza (D.O.B. 6/12/1986) is looking at a possible 27-year prison sentence for an argument over personal property that escalated to a fatal shooting. Maricopa County jurors found Mendoza guilty of 2nd De...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 13, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 13, 2013) – A drunk driver who led police on a high speed chase and collided with another vehicle, killing an 11 year-old boy, will spend 35 years to life in prison. David Glenn Wiggins (D.O.B. 4/20/1981) was found guilty last M...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 8, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 8, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement on today’s verdict in State v. Jodi Ann Arias:
“Today’s verdict closes the guilt phase of State v. Jodi Ann Arias. H...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 8, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 8, 2013) – Crisantos Moroyoqui-Yocupicio (D.O.B. 10/27/1973) has been ordered to serve a term of 14 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the 2010 stabbing death of Martin Alejandro Cota-Monroy, whose decapitated bo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 7, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (May 7, 2013) – A prolific thief who broke into homes by smashing doors and windows with a rock faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty today in the second of two criminal cases brought a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 26, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 26, 2013) – The Honorable M. Scott McCoy today ordered Eric James Coulter (D.O.B. 10/30/1992) to serve the maximum term of 21-years in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend with a rifle in 2011, an act he claimed was an a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 23, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will mark this year’s observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by traveling to Washington D.C. to testify in favor of a bi-partisan proposal to ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 19, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 19, 2013) – The Honorable William Brotherton imposed a 51.5-year prison sentence today on a serial child sexual predator who also attempted to orchestrate the murder of the law enforcement officers responsible for bringing him...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 19, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 19, 2013) – A lengthy criminal career is effectively over today as the Honorable Joseph Kreamer ordered Mike Ruben Alvarez (D.O.B. 6/18/75) to serve a 63-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for shooting and inju...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 12, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 12, 2013) – Today the Honorable Joseph Kreamer sentenced Rodrigo Romero, Jr. (D.O.B. 1/10/87) to a prison term of natural life plus 102 years for killing a 19 year-old single mother in a 2006 drive-by shooting. Romero was foun...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 10, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 10, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today regarding recent legislation banning synthetic drugs:
As of April 3, 2013, synthetic versions of marijuana and of ecstasy/cocaine are ban...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 5, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (April 5, 2013) - A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive in Phoenix on April 15, 2013 to examine all aspects of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) Inv...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 29, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 29, 2013) – George Frazey Sanders (D.O.B. 3/24/1927) will serve two years of unsupervised probation for intentionally aiding his 81 year-old wife to commit suicide. The sentence imposed today by the Honorable John Dittsworth f...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 28, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 28, 2013) – County Attorney Bill Montgomery praises today’s passage of HB 2327 which effectively bans the specific chemical “backbone” used to make a variety of dangerous designer drugs commonly k...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 18, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 18, 2013) – A jury has found Eric James Coulter (D.O.B. 10/30/1992) guilty of Manslaughter for fatally shooting his girlfriend in the head with a military-style assault rifle, an act he claimed was an accident. He faces a poss...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 11, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 11, 2013) – County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement in response to today’s immigration protests:
“I support people exercising their First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and p...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 8, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 8, 2013) – After deliberating for less than two hours, a Maricopa County jury has found Brandon Martin Roberts (D.O.B. 8/7/1993) guilty of First Degree Murder for fatally shooting an elderly man who was taking an evening walk ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (March 1, 2013) – Erik Charles Grumpelt (D.O.B. 9/25/75) has been sentenced to a term of 14 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for recklessly causing the death of his girlfriend, Melinda Raya, in May of 2011. Grumpelt con...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 28, 2013) – After four days of deliberations, a Maricopa County jury has voted unanimously to sentence Joel Escalante Orozco (D.O.B. 1/30/1975) to death for violently killing a young mother in Phoenix in 2001. Orozco fled t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 27, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 27, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement on the decision by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to release several hundred immigrant detainees from deportation centers in Arizon...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 21, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 21, 2013) – Phoenix-based PetSmart, Inc., (NASDAQ: PETM), the largest specialty retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets, has renewed its commitment to provide financial and material support for the...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 15, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 15, 2013) – In order to address questions regarding the decision to send the misdemeanor hit-and-run investigation involving Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne to the Phoenix Police Department and the circumstances surround...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 15, 2013
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 Sandov...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 14, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 14, 2013) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has doubled a cash reward offered for information leading to the arrest or indictment of anyone responsible for the fatal shooting of Sandra Johnson which took place on t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 12, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 12, 2013) – Rodrigo Romero, Jr. (D.O.B. 1/10/87) has been found guilty of First Degree Murder and multiple other felonies for killing a 19 year-old single mother in a 2006 drive-by shooting. He faces a possible life term pl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 8, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (February 8, 2013) – A brutal killing of a young mother that occurred in front of her 2-and-a-half year-old daughter has resulted in an 44-year prison sentence for Victor Abraham Martinez, Jr. (D.O.B 1/12/86). Martinez was sentenced ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 17, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (January 17, 2013) – The Honorable Karen L. O’Connor today sentenced Gary Billy Bivens (D.O.B. 11/21/1958) to a 55-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for murdering 93 year-old Martha Winters, a crime that we...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 7, 2013
PHOENIX, AZ (January 7, 2013) - Bill Montgomery was sworn in today to begin his first, full four-year term as the Maricopa County Attorney. After a whirlwind first two years, serving out the remainder of the previous elected County Attorney’s te...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 19, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 19, 2012) – Jasper Jay Stewart (D.O.B. 12/16/79) has been sentenced to a term of 18 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections in connection with two separate incidents involving a carjacking and armed robbery. Stewart,...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 19, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 19, 2012) – An accused armed robber who later tried to orchestrate the murder of one of his victims has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his crimes. Shaun Tonge (D.O.B. 6/4/86) will also spend four years on probatio...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 14, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 14, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery praises Governor Jan Brewer’s appointment of Deputy County Attorney Suzanne Cohen to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Cohen has successfully prosecuted numer...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 14, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 14, 2012) - A Maricopa County Jury has found Larry Lloyd Carver (D.O.B. 12/1/52) guilty on multiple counts in connection with the 2006 murder of Heather M. Quan and the attempted murder of her boyfriend, Ryan T. Waller. He faces the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 12, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 12, 2012) – Responding to a surge in demand for information, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office handled more than 500 public records requests in 2012, nearly double the number processed the previous year. Reque...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 7, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (December 7, 2012) – Elizabeth Joanne Johnson (D.O.B. 7/24/86) has been ordered to spend 5.25 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for crimes related to the disappearance of her eight month-old son, Gabriel Johnson, who has...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 28, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 28, 2012) – Members of the public will be able to shred unneeded documents and safely destroy unused or expired prescription drugs at a free event on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at Target, 9000 East Indian Bend Road, Scottsda...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 21, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 21, 2012) – Mario Chavez-Tavena (D.O.B. 3/23/86) will spend the rest of his life in prison for repeatedly raping and committing other sexual acts with his 10-year-old stepdaughter. Chavez-Tavena was convicted last July on f...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 16, 2012
PHOENIX (November 16, 2012) – Michael John Jakscht (D.O.B. 7/4/63) has been ordered to spend 26 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for killing four people and injuring five others in a March 2010 collision with ten motorcyclists and ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 13, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 13, 2012) – Members of the public will be able to safely destroy unneeded documents containing personal information at a free event on Friday, November 16, 2012 at International Paper, 301 South 30th Street, Phoenix 85034. ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 9, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 9, 2012) – The Honorable Susan Pineda today sentenced Qui Tu Truong (D.O.B. 11/10/83) to 36 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for a brutal attack that has prompted a call for stricter sentences for violent crim...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 7, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 7, 2012) - Convicted murderer William Wayne Macumber (D.O.B. 8/31/35) entered a plea of no contest today to two counts of second degree murder for the 1962 killings of Joyce Sterrenberg and her fiancé Timothy McKillop. Aft...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 1, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (November 1, 2012) – Vehicular crimes prosecutors in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will benefit from the latest techniques for investigating fatal and serious injury collisions involving drug impaired drivers thanks...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 26, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 26, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery reminds representatives of international organizations interested in observing upcoming state and federal elections in Arizona that they must comply with state statutes th...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 26, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 26, 2012) – A palm print on a beer bottle helped a Maricopa County jury find George Jones (D.O.B. 9/12/57) guilty of the murder of Duane “Bud” Gruette in a case that remained unsolved for 34 years. The mu...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 25, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 25, 2012) – Members of the public will be able to safely destroy unused or expired prescription medications as well as unneeded documents containing personal information at a free event on Tuesday, October 30th at Fry&rs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 22, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 22, 2012) – After less than a day of deliberation, a Maricopa County jury today found Joseluis Marquez (D.O.B. 3/17/90) guilty of murdering Kyleigh Sousa while stealing her purse. He faces the possibility of spending 25 year...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 19, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 19, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney William Montgomery issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s verdict in State v. Elizabeth Johnson:
“As I told the community when we embarked on the pro...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 16, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 16, 2012) – Members of the public will be able to safely destroy unused or expired prescription medications as well as unneeded documents containing personal information at a free event on Thursday, October 25th, 2012 at Hom...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 10, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 10, 2012) – A pilot program to reduce truancy in Maricopa County has produced impressive results for a local elementary school plagued by a high rate of absenteeism. Led by a team of volunteers from the Maricopa County Attor...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 10, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 10, 2012) – Maricopa County prosecutors continue to see improvements in their ability to prosecute non-fatal strangulation cases, thanks to new investigatory techniques developed in partnership with local law enforcement age...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 1, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (October 1, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is initiating a civil enforcement action against Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and Kathleen Winn, General Director of Community Outreach for the Attorney General&r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 26, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (September 26, 2012) – Volunteers from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will collect unused or unwanted medications from the public on Saturday, September 29th as part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration&rs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 17, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (September 17, 2012) – Deputy County Attorney Charity Collins is the recipient of the 2012 Felony Prosecutor of the Year award presented by the Arizona State Organization of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Charity accepted the ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (September 14, 2012) – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft and prescription drug abuse, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Shred-It will host a free Shred-A-Thon and Prescription Drug Take-Back...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 6, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (September 6, 2012) – Jerice Hunter (D.O.B.10/13/1973) is currently in custody facing criminal charges for the murder and abuse of her 5 year-old daughter, Jhessye Shockley, who has been missing since last October. Hunter’s...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 31, 2012
PRESS RELEASE BY ARIZONA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC-TABOO
THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE AIRING OF A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SPECIAL ON ALCOHOL FEATURING ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT.
P...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 29, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 29, 2012) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Michael Lee Crane (D.O.B. 6/9/1980) if he is convicted for the murder of Bruce Gaudet or either of the murders of Law...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 28, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 28, 2012) – Arizona Department of Corrections inmate Marlon C. McCowan (D.O.B. 12/1/1977) faces a possible life sentence after being found guilty yesterday for the 2010 murder of prison inmate Albert Tsosie. McCowan&rsquo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 24, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 24, 2012) – A deadly family argument over a carton of cigarettes has resulted in a 22-year prison sentence for William Kenneth Null (D.O.B. 1/13/70). Judge Daniel Martin today sentenced Null to the maximum term for second deg...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 23, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne are each filing separate motions for summary judgment in Superior Court today seeking to resolve conflicting issues raised by the Ari...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 22, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 22, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will kick off the second annual “Friday Night Football Patrol” at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa on August 24th, 2012 to encourage teens to stay off d...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 22, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 22, 2012) – In response to multiple public complaints about fraudulent collection agencies, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today warned citizens not to respond to telephone solicitations and threats from individuals...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 15, 2012
PHOENIX (August 15, 2012) – After three days of deliberation, a Maricopa County jury has found Michael John Jakscht (D.O.B. 7/4/63) guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and endangerment for killing four people and injuring five others in a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 8, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (August 8, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Karen Potts today sentenced Michael Andrew Cerise (D.O.B. 8/2/65) to spend 90 days in jail followed by three years of supervised probation for pointing a laser at two commercial...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 30, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (July 30, 2012) – Convicted murderers will now be required to serve longer prison sentences for certain first and second degree murder convictions thanks to changes to state sentencing statutes enacted in Arizona’s last legislative session. HB...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 27, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (July 27, 2012) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has charged Cordell Lamar Jude (D.O.B. 1/10/90) with one count of 2nd degree murder for the April 2012 shooting death of Daniel Adkins. Jude was served with the indictment this morning. He will be...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 29, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 29, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement on the recent attack on a Phoenix Police Officer by a suspect who was in the United States illegally:
“On June 26, 2012, a Phoenix P...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 25, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 25, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement today on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on SB 1070:
Earlier this month, the President played election year politics, pandering with...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 22, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 22, 2012) - A federal court today granted Maricopa County’s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit brought by SB 1070 protester Sunita Patel. In a seven-page order, U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake ruled that Maricopa County ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 15, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 15, 2012) – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with Shred-It to offer a free Shred-A-Thon and Prescription Drug Take-Back on Thursday, June ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 14, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 14, 2012) – Justin Lee Martin (D.O.B. 3/12/77) has been ordered to serve a 125 year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for committing a series of home invasions with his uncle in the Town of Paradise Valley in 2009. ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 13, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 13, 2012) – Victims of fraudulent divorce attorney Gary Jay Karpin will soon receive court ordered restitution payments for the economic losses they suffered as a result of his crimes. Karpin was found guilty in October 2008 on...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 8, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (June 8, 2012) – A new approach to investigating cases of alleged strangulation in Maricopa County promises to greatly improve the ability to hold perpetrators accountable, according to the results of a pilot program released today. ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 31, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 31, 2012) – A former Wells Fargo branch manager in Phoenix has been arrested and charged with making fraudulent computer entries and altering documents to conceal more than $1.7 million in missing funds. Following her arrest, Li...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 29, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 29, 2012) – Prosecutors in the Vehicular Crimes Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will soon be using laptop and tablet computers to improve the overall quality of trial presentations, thanks to a grant fr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 23, 2012) – After a nine-day trial and less than a day of deliberations, a Maricopa County jury has found Nadia Bashir (D.O.B. 9/26/66) guilty of negligent homicide and child abuse in connection with the 2009 drowning death of h...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 17, 2012
In response to today’s guilty verdicts in State v. Tammi Peters Smith, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released the following statement:
“Today’s verdicts are just the latest step in our efforts to seek justice for Ga...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 17, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 17, 2012) – Major retailers in Arizona are teaming up with local law enforcement agencies on a new strategy to fight organized retail crime. Using a secure website developed by the Arizona Organized Retail Crime Alliance (AZORCA...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 11, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Gottsfield today sentenced Stephen Bernard Young (D.O.B. 9/17/59) to a 42-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for a string of bank and armored car robberies ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 10, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 10, 2012) – A long history of fraud, forgery and theft finally caught up with Gerald Calmese (D.O.B. 1/7/67) when Judge Daniel G. Martin sentenced him to serve a term of 30 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for stea...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 1, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (May 1, 2012) – Wilyie Louis McCarty (D.O.B. 9/28/81) will spend 10 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for three sexual assaults that took place in 1996 and 1997. He will remain on lifetime probation under sexual offender...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 30, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 30, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Susanna Pineda has sentenced David Roy Eidson (D.O.B. 10/18/61) to a term of 24.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for murdering David Wile in 2010 and concealing ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 30, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 30, 2012) – A decade after his conviction, Steven William Dyer (D.O.B. 4/7/67) has been sentenced to serve 240 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for sexually assaulting two young boys in 2000 and 2001. Dyer fled t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 23, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Susanna Pineda has sentenced Anthony Robert Dose (D.O.B. 8/1/85) to spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a motorist with his car while attempting to flee Mesa police...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 23, 2012) – In honor of crime victims and in celebration of the progress in advancing their rights, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer proclaims April 22-28 to be Arizona Crime Victims’ Rights Week, joining a nationwide eff...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 23, 2012) – Phoenix-based PetSmart, Inc., (NASDAQ: PETM) the largest specialty retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets, is now the official corporate partner for the Maricopa County Attorney&rsquo...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 20, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 20, 2012) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will trade his suit and tie for running gear to participate in Pat’s Run on Saturday April 21, 2012. Held annually at Arizona State University’s Sun Devi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: April 4, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (April 4, 2012) - Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Warren Granville today sentenced Joe Sauceda Gallegos (D.O.B. 4/19/72) to two natural life terms in the Arizona Department of Corrections for brutally beating two young boys to death in 20...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 27, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 27, 2012) - David Mark Buot (D.O.B. 5/12/68) has been sentenced by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Miles to a term of 22 calendar years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for deliberately driving his car into oncoming ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 22, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 22, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Lisa Flores today sentenced Brandon Keith Jones (D.O.B. 7/20/84) to 35 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for repeatedly molesting his nephew and two other children,...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 20, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 20, 2012) – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with Shred-It to offer a free Shred-A-Thon on Thursday, March 29th, 2012 at Westbrook Villag...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 13, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 13, 2012) - In light of recent reports of the possibility of individuals engaged in the production of pornography moving to Arizona from California, the Maricopa County Attorney issued the following statement:
Under Arizona law, anyone p...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 7, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 7, 2012) – Members of the public will be able to shred documents, recycle electronic devices and turn in unneeded prescription drugs at a free event on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 in front of Marketplace At Central Plaza, 115 ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 2, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 2, 2012) – Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Douglas Rayes has sentenced Miguel Angel Sanchez (D.O.B. 2/20/85) to spend the rest of his life in prison for robbing and murdering Paul Kaptiz in 2009. Sanchez avoided a possibl...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: March 1, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (March 1, 2012) - Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Roger Brodman has sentenced Nathan Wayne King (D.O.B. 2/18/80) to serve two concurrent thirteen-year prison terms for the 2008 murders of Shaun T. Naylor and Gregory S. Mitchell. King agre...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 28, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 28, 2012) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will participate in the Service Academy Alumni of Arizona (SAAA) 2012 Ethics Forum, which will be held on March 2nd, 2012 at the East Valley institute of Technology. This annual ev...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 27, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 27, 2012) – Henry Eric Young (DOB 11/4/69) is ordered to spend the next two decades in prison for brutally beating and nearly killing 81 year-old Gene Fitzsimmons. Judge Susan Brnovich sentenced Young today to serve 15 year...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 21, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 21, 2012) - Calling all student filmmakers! The Maricopa County Attorney invites you to enter the “My Message” video contest for a chance to win a new Apple MacBook® Pro and $500 in Apple merchandise. Open...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 17, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 17, 2012) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery applauds Governor Jan Brewer for signing House Bill 2356, which outlaws a category of over-the-counter drugs commonly known as “bath salts.” Sponsored by Repres...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 16, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 16, 2012) – After three days of deliberations, a Maricopa County Jury has found Haider Abdullah (D.O.B. 2/25/70) guilty of two counts of First Degree Murder for the 2009 shooting deaths of Ayad Mizel and Mohammad Mzeal. Abd...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 15, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 15, 2012) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has charged Michael Lee Crane (D.O.B. 6/9/80) with two counts of First Degree Murder for causing the January 30th, 2012 deaths of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro. The same 15-count indic...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 13, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 13, 2012) – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with Shred-It to offer a free Shred-A-Thon on Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at Sam&rs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: February 2, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (February 2, 2012) – Chad Michael Goulding (D.O.B. 9/30/1970) has been found guilty on multiple counts of armed robbery, theft and kidnapping in connection with a string of bank robberies that took place during a five month period in...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 23, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (January 23, 2012) - The Maricopa County Attorney will seek the death penalty against John “Bud” Allen (D.O.B. 7/19/88) and Samantha Allen (D.O.B. 6/14/88), both of whom are accused of murdering 10 year-old Ame Deal by lock...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 19, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (January 19, 2012) – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with Shred-It to offer a free Shred-A-Thon on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 in front of Cabe...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 17, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (January 17, 2012) - The Alvarado family of Phoenix will get the keys to a beautiful new, environmentally-friendly home today, built on the site of a house that had been a magnet for criminal activity and an eyesore to the neighborhood. At a c...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: January 5, 2012
PHOENIX, AZ (January 5, 2012) – Arizona has prevented more than a million crimes since 1994 by incarcerating its most dangerous criminals, according to a major research study released today. Titled Prisoners in Arizona: Truth-in-Sentencing, Time...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 21, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (December 21, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced the conclusion of an 8-month criminal investigation into whether public officials illegally accepted or failed to report gifts from members of the Fiesta Bowl o...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 16, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (December 16, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is asking the U.S. Department of Justice for additional information from its Civil Rights Division regarding any alleged civil rights violations by the Maricopa County Sh...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: December 6, 2011
(PHOENIX, AZ) December 6, 2011 – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Scottsdale Police Department, Salt River Police Department and the Shred-It compa...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 30, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (November 30, 2011) – A Maricopa County Jury today sentenced Mark Goudeau to death for nine murders committed during a nearly year-long crime spree that also involved multiple kidnappings, armed robberies and violent assaults. The se...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 21, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (November 21, 2011) – A lifelong fraud artist will spend the next 16 years in prison according to a sentence handed down by Judge Warren Granville. Jeffrey Allen Herald (D.O.B. 6/26/58) pled guilty to five class 2 felony counts of Fr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 15, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (November 15, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, who serves as Chairman of The Arizona Child Safety Task Force, is asking members of the public to provide input on Arizona’s Child Protection System, including...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 15, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (November 15, 2011) – After five days of deliberation, a Maricopa County jury has found Jeffrey R. Martinson (D.O.B. 11/12/1966) guilty of abusing and murdering his five year-old son, Joshua Eberle Martinson in 2004. The jury will no...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 4, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (November 4, 2011) – An attempt to smuggle eight illegal aliens into Arizona has resulted in a guilty verdict for Guadalupe Garcia-Corral (D.O.B. 1/8/72), who was apprehended while driving the group to Flagstaff earlier this year. He...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 28, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (October 28, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery confirms his office will pursue the case against the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission following today’s Superior Court ruling disqualifying the Attor...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 24, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (October 24, 2011) – On Saturday, October 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. members of the public will have an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by dropping off potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 21, 2011
PHOENIX , AZ (October 21, 2011) – Judge William Brotherton sentenced Kevin Gerster (D.O.B. 10/23/75) today to serve one year in jail followed by two years of supervised probation for assaulting two inmates and illegally accessing and sharing cri...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 12, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (October 12, 2011) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has charged Daniel Alexander Lopez (D.O.B. 5/13/1993) with one class 6 felony count of Aggravated Criminal Damage and one class 5 felony count of Criminal Damage for allegedly committ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: October 3, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (October 3, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today announced the appointment of noted victims’ rights advocate John W. Gillis as the new Chief of the County Attorney’s Victim Services Division. Gil...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 21, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (September 21, 2011) – His spray-painted moniker, “MAWD,” defaced at least 300 structures throughout the Phoenix metro area, making William Barajas (DOB: 3/10/91) the city’s #1 graffiti vandal -- and ear...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 20, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (September 20, 2011) – Nine members of a criminal syndicate uncovered by Scottsdale Police and convicted of trafficking in stolen identities will spend a total of more than 107 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections. The grou...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2011
(PHOENIX, AZ) September 14, 2011 – As part of its ongoing commitment to combat identity theft, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Shred-It company to offer a series of Shred-A-Thons throughout the Valley where...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 14, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (September 14, 2011) An organized group of retail rip-off crews that targeted major shopping malls, outlet stores and strip centers throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area is now out of operation, thanks to a cooperative enforcement action by...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 13, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (September 13, 2011) - Jesus Briseno (DOB: 8/7/1982) is on his way to the Arizona Department of Corrections for 30 years for causing a September 5, 2009 collision that killed two near the 3500 block of West Grand Avenue.
Briseno was driving a C...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: September 8, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (September 8, 2011) – A six-month investigation by Phoenix Police has resulted in the arrest and indictment of 18 individuals connected to the Phoenix Goddess Temple, a suspected house of prostitution operating under the pretense of ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 29, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 29, 2011) – It took a jury less than three hours to reach guilty verdicts today in the trial of William Craig Miller (D.O.B 3/24/77), accused of murdering five family members in Mesa in an apparent effort to eliminate witness...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 26, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 26, 2011) - James Stark (DOB 4/12/1953) was sentenced today to 7-consecutive life sentences to be followed by an additional 102.5 years in prison.
The Buckeye Police Department investigation led by Det. Joseph Kirby indicated defendant ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 26, 2011
Attempted to Murder Estranged Wife in Front of 12-year old Daughter
PHOENIX, AZ (August 26, 2011) - Robert T. Jones, (DOB: 11/13/1973) tried to shoot the victim in the head 3-times while telling the 12-year old daughter “this is what your mom get...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 25, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 25, 2011) - Last week a Maricopa County Superior Court declared a mistrial in the case of State v. Michael Jakscht after a jury was unable to reach a verdict.
This week, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery met with prosecutors to r...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 22, 2011
Friday Night Football Patrol Tells Teens: You Use, You Lose
PHOENIX, AZ (August 22, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will encourage teenagers to sign a pledge to stay drug-free as part of an extensive public awareness campaign kno...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 19, 2011
On February 12, 2011 a gunman shot and killed 19-year old Sir Xavier Brooks at the Leonardo’s Da Vinci Code club in Chandler. The shooting took place in the midst of a fight outside the club.
Orlando Nembhard was arrested and later charged with t...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 19, 2011
A Maricopa County Grand Jury has indicted 23-year old Summer Dawn Angelly and her boyfriend 28 year old Jasen C. Anchondo in connection with the near drowning of 11-month old Jay Anchondo on August 5th.
Angelly and Anchondo are charged with one count each ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 16, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 16, 2011) – After two trials, a jury today found Brittany J. Williams (D.O.B. 12/31/85) guilty of second degree murder for dumping her newborn infant into a trash bin last year and allowing the child to die. She faces a possi...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 15, 2011
February 2010 Vehicular Homicide Killed ASU Student
PHOENIX, AZ (August 15, 2011) - What began as a midnight beer run last year ended minutes later in a car crash that killed 27 year-old Abel Abebe, an Arizona State University Pharmacy student.
Last week, a...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 10, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 10, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery says his office will seek the death penalty against Jose Luis Gonzalez-Dominguez (D.O.B. 2/27/90), who faces First Degree Murder and felony Child Abuse charges for the deat...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: August 10, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (August 10, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announces the indictment of four adult relatives of 10 year-old Ame Deal, who died after being locked inside a plastic storage box. Named in a Maricopa County Grand Jury in...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 29, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (July 29, 2011) – Six individuals are facing multiple felony charges including fraud, identity theft, computer tampering and money laundering for allegedly stealing financial information from unsuspecting customers at TruWest Credit ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 28, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (July 28, 2011) – The Civil Services Division of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announces that Ford Motor Company has paid a $225,000 penalty for illegally constructing a test track at its Arizona Proving Grounds in ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 27, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (July 27, 2011) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has successfully recovered more than a million dollars in restitution from bad check writers in the last 12 months. These funds were obtained by the County Attorney&am...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 19, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (July 19, 2011) - Contrary to media reports, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has not charged Yukari Miyamae with any offense in connection with a recent incident involving a TSA agent at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. After initia...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 14, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (July 14, 2011) - The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today approved a motion authorizing County Attorney Bill Montgomery to intervene as co-plaintiffs in the State of Arizona’s recently filed federal lawsuit seeking a declarato...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: July 6, 2011
(PHOENIX, AZ) July 6, 2011 – Gary Thomas Kelley, 51 ( DOB: 08/16/1959 ) has been sentenced for the Second Degree Murder of a neighbor Juan Varela and Aggravated Assault on Juan’s brother Antonio.
The incident took place on May 6th, 2010...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 30, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (June 30, 2011) – Justin Wade Lunsford (D.O.B. 11/30/81) will spend the next 23 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for brutally murdering Mary Polgar in 2008 and setting her residence and vehicle on fire in an attempt to ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 27, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (June 27, 2011) – Judge Daniel G. Martin today sentenced Qadir Al-Amin, a.k.a. Rudolpho Dominguez Osorio (D.O.B. 7/2/1979), to 142 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the 2008 murder of Melissa Vigil. She was killed on...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 22, 2011
More than $1,000,000 Paid to Victims by Clerk of Superior Court
(PHOENIX, AZ) June 22, 2010 – The National Association of Counties (NACo) has awarded the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office a 2011 NACo Achievement Award for its Crime Vict...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 7, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (June 7, 2011) – A successful multi-agency investigation initiated by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office resulted today in the arrest and indictment of more than sixty (60) Arizona prison and jail gang members on multiple felony criminal cha...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: June 1, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (June 1, 2011) – Drug abuse, child abduction and identity theft are just three of the serious crimes people will learn how to prevent at the upcoming 2011 Citizen Safety Forum & Expo in Mesa. Presented by the Maricopa County Atto...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 26, 2011
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued a formal opinion to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today advising the Board to refrain from taking steps to implement Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act until an apparent conflict with feder...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 18, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (May 18, 2011) – An effort to prove the innocence of convicted sex offender Timothy Roosevelt Boles (DOB 6/29/59) has instead confirmed his guilt and linked him to a previously unsolved case of child sexual abuse from 1991. Boles, wh...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 16, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (May 16, 2011) – William Barajas (DOB 3/10/1991) has been arrested by Phoenix Police and charged with one class 4 felony count of aggravated criminal damage and one class 5 aggregated count of criminal damage for numerous graffiti cr...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 12, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (May 12, 2011) – Erin Otis, a prosecutor in the Sex Crimes Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, has been honored with the second annual Paladin Award by Streetlight Phoenix, a residential treatment facility for ...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 11, 2011
Drug abuse, child abduction and identity theft are just three of the serious crimes people will learn how to prevent at the 2011 Citizen Safety Forum & Expo.
In addition to classes on protecting yourself from violent crime and property crime, the Citiz...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: May 9, 2011
(PHOENIX, AZ) May 9, 2011 – Valley residents can protect themselves from identity thieves by destroying canceled checks, old tax returns and other unneeded financial documents at a free, daylong Shred-A-Thon hosted by ABC 15 and the Maricopa Cou...
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Posted on: May 4, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (May 4, 2011) - Joseph John Viola (DOB: 5/2/1951) has been sentenced by Superior Court Judge Daniel G. Martin to serve 36 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for engaging in fraudulent schemes (CR90-010323). The sentence was lengthy...
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Posted on: May 3, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (May 3, 2011) – A Maricopa County Grand Jury has charged Stanley Dean Torgerson with multiple counts of fraud and theft for selling vehicles for customers and failing to give them the proceeds. Torgerson, who owns International Car A...
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Posted on: April 27, 2011
Passage caps successful legislative agenda for County Attorney’s Office
PHOENIX, AZ (April 27, 2011) - Criminal defendants with mental illness in Arizona will no longer be able to slip unnoticed back into the community thanks to a recently passed...
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Posted on: April 25, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 25, 2011) – A jury today found Christopher Benitez (DOB 5/5/83) guilty of one count of negligent homicide, one count of arson of an occupied structure and one count of arson of a structure or property in connection with a 2001...
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Posted on: April 15, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 15, 2011) – Judge Roland J. Steinle today sentenced Faleh Hassan Almaleki (DOB 1/1/1961) to serve 34½ years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for killing his daughter, Noor Almaleki, and seriously injuring Am...
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Posted on: April 11, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 11, 2011) – Recently approved legislation that substantially toughens penalties for organizers of major human smuggling rings will have a significant impact on efforts to shut down these criminal operations, according to Maric...
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Posted on: April 8, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 8, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery hailed the recent passage of two pieces of legislation that strengthen existing laws against people who sexually exploit children. HB 2438, sponsored by State Representative ...
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Posted on: April 7, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 7, 2011) – A jury has found Christopher Robert Youngs (DOB 8/4/1949) guilty on ten class 2 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in connection with a planned cross-country spree of sadistic sexual acts against childr...
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Posted on: April 7, 2011
MEDIA RELEASE BY THE TEMPE POLICE DEPARTMENT
After a nearly three week trial, 39 year old Daniel Gukeisen was found guilty of Manslaughter in the vicious stabbing death of 22 year old Garrett Hohn.
On September 26th, 2008 at approximately 2:00 AM, the Tempe...
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Posted on: April 6, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (April 6, 2011) – Judge Sally Duncan Schneider has sentenced Jesus Lopez-Moreno (DOB 11/13/86) to a total of 134 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for committing a violent home invasion, robbery and rape, as well as an a...
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Posted on: March 31, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 31, 2011) – Judge Janet E. Barton has found Diane Lynn Habener (DOB 12/31/47) guilty on nine counts of animal cruelty in connection with a pet adoption business she operated out of two residences in Phoenix. Habener, owner of ...
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Posted on: March 30, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 30, 2011) - Superior Court Judge John R. Hannah today dismissed a complaint accusing Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Donald Covey of illegally cancelling a special election to fill a vacant board seat on the Peoria Unified Sch...
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Posted on: March 30, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 30, 2011) – The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today approved the creation of a new Civil Services Division within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office by transferring to the County Attorney the resources and ...
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Posted on: March 29, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 29, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery commends the ongoing efforts by the City of Phoenix to ensure that victims of crime are accorded the dignity, respect and services to which they are entitled under Arizona&a...
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Posted on: March 25, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 25, 2011) – Judge Michael Kemp today sentenced Steven Jo Landrum (DOB 9/20/1986) to spend 11 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for causing an auto accident while driving under the influence of alcohol which result...
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Posted on: March 23, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 23, 2011) - Humelio Dominguez-Vazquez (DOB 5/25/1977), Christopher Joseph Lopez (DOB 9/9/1973) and Juanita Trevino Rodriguez (3/2/1967) have been charged with multiple felony counts of child abuse in connection with the death of Juanita...
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Posted on: March 18, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 18, 2011) – Jeremias Joel Aguilar (DOB 2/26/1988) was sentenced today by Judge Robert Gottsfield to serve 25 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the homicide of 2½ year-old Selena Talevera who died fr...
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Posted on: March 14, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 14, 2011) – Judge Robert Gottsfield has imposed two consecutive natural life prison terms on Josef Alexander Arvallo (DOB 6/18/82) for the murders of Steven Leonard and Samuel Hixon. After a hung jury in December 2008, Arvallo...
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Posted on: March 9, 2011
A Bad Check Doesn’t Have to Mean Bad News
PHOENIX, AZ (March 9, 2011) – It is a crime in Arizona to knowingly write a bad check, and it is one of the many ways thieves attempt to make a dishonest living. Fortunately, there is a place vi...
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Posted on: March 2, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (March 2, 2011) – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today announced the indictment of Wylie McCarty (DOB 9/28/81) in connection with three previously unsolved sex crimes that took place in 1996 and 1997. McCarty was identified...
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Posted on: February 25, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (February 25, 2011) - The Scottsdale Police Department, working with fraud investigators from eBay, Home Depot and Walmart, along with several other members of the Arizona Electronic Crimes Task Force, including the Maricopa County Attorney&am...
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Posted on: February 18, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (February 18, 2011) – Judge Susanna Pineda today found Justin Richard Sobolik (DOB 12/24/81) guilty of one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of first degree murder in connection with the death of 7-month old Logan Balk...
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Posted on: February 17, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (February 17, 2011) – Three prosecutors in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office have been honored by the Arizona chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for their success in prosecuting individuals charged with dri...
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Posted on: February 12, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (February 15, 2011) – Jack Mizer (DOB 2/5/1953) has been sentenced to serve two consecutive 10-year terms in the Arizona Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two cases involving four felony counts of driving under the i...
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Posted on: February 11, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (February 11, 2011) – Judge Paul McMurdie today sentenced William Lewis Riedel (DOB 5/19/1964) to serve 35 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by lifetime probation for multiple sex crimes involving the 13 year-ol...
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Posted on: January 28, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (January 28, 2011) – James Michael Wren (DOB 3/23/87) will serve one-and-a-half years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for attempting to steal thousands of dollars in cash from an undercover police officer posing as a drug de...
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Posted on: January 19, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (January 19, 2011) – State Representative Ted Vogt (R – LD30) has proposed legislation that substantially toughens penalties for organizers of major human smuggling rings. Under current law, an operator of multiple “drop houses” faces the same...
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Posted on: January 13, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (January 13, 2011) – Dusty Roe Curry (DOB 2/19/1973) will serve multiple prison sentences for kidnapping and robbing a victim at gunpoint. Curry was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Daniel Martin to serve 12 years in the Arizona Departme...
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Posted on: January 10, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (January 20, 2011) – A commercially available drug that mimics the active ingredient in marijuana will be illegal in Arizona under a proposed law sponsored by State Representative Amanda Reeve (R – LD6). The drug is sprayed...
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Posted on: January 10, 2011
PHOENIX, AZ (January 10, 2011) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued the following statement today:
The tragic shootings in Tucson this past weekend have prompted understandable outrage and strong emotions. Nonetheless, it is a gross disservice...
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Posted on: December 28, 2010
The following Opinion piece appeared in The Arizona Republic on December 28, 2010 with the following signatories:
Bill Montgomery, Maricopa County AttorneyDaisy Flores, Gila County AttorneySheila Polk, Yavapai County AttorneyCarlyon, Navajo County Attorney...
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Posted on: December 17, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 17, 2010) - County Attorney Bill Montgomery and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement on an appropriate framework for promptly resolving the conflicts of interest created...
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Posted on: December 16, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 16, 2010) – Thanks to excellent policy development and flawless file maintenance, the Investigations Division of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has been named a Flagship Agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforc...
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Posted on: December 14, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 14, 2010) – Defendant Jacob Israel Randles (DOB 3/3/1976) has been found guilty on all twelve felony counts in connection with two violent incidents involving sexual assault and kidnapping. He faces a minimum prison sentence of 94 ½ ...
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Posted on: December 13, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 13, 2010) – Jorge Alberto Busso Jr. (DOB 6/1/1987) has been charged with first degree murder and three counts of felony child abuse in connection with the death of four year-old Ramon Alejandro Haro Colin. Busso, who is in the countr...
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Posted on: December 10, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 10, 2010) – Former Maricopa County Sheriff’s Detention Officer Kevin Michael Gerster (DOB 10/23/1975) has been charged with a total of five counts of aggravated assault and two counts of computer tampering in connection with three di...
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Posted on: December 9, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (December 9, 2010) – Former Phoenix Police Officer Chad Michael Goulding (DOB 9/30/1970) has been arrested and charged with carrying out five Phoenix area bank robberies during a five month period in 2006. Goulding, who left the Phoenix Police...
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Posted on: December 2, 2010
More than $500,000 Paid to Victims by Clerk of Superior Court
(PHOENIX, AZ) December 2, 2010 – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced today that its Investigations Division has located 1,759 crime victims over the last six months, making it possib...
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Posted on: December 1, 2010
(PHOENIX, AZ) December 1st, 2010 – Joel Delgado (DOB 8/16/83) has been sentenced to one year in prison followed by four years of supervised probation for recklessly defacing and damaging property throughout the Phoenix metro area by inscribing on public a...
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Posted on: November 30, 2010
PHOENIX, AZ (November 30, 2010) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today announced the creation of a Self- Defense Review Committee to evaluate specific cases involving the unlawful discharge of firearms, the defensive display of a weapon, and inc...
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MCAO Latest News
Posted on: November 29, 2010
(PHOENIX, AZ) November 29, 2010 – Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Arizona’s Victims’ Bill of Rights today by reiterating his commitment to be a strong advocate for victims of crime and to support vigi...
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Posted on: November 22, 2010
(PHOENIX, AZ) November 22, 2010 – Bill Montgomery was formally sworn in as Maricopa County Attorney this morning in a brief ceremony held in the Board of Supervisors Auditorium. Following the official canvass of the November 2nd General Election...
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