Month: April 2014

Categories
Personal Injury

Los Angeles and Phoenix Police Working Together to Stop Teen-Prostitution

Los Angeles and Phoenix Police Working Together to Stop Teen-Prostitution

Federal Agents Look To Phoenix Police in Hopes to Catch Teen-Prostitution

Teen-prostitution has been on the rise for some sick reason in the last few years. Luckily the Federal Agents and Phoenix Police are searching to find those young kids and help them.

The Federal Agents think that the California man they recently arrested on child-prostitution allegations could be involved with some other underage victims. The man arrested on Monday for these charges was thirty-six year old, Laron Darrell Carter. According to the ICE statement, it took a year long investigation to finally bring him in. The search began after the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were able to save a sixteen year old girl. The girl was reported missing by her family.

Phoenix Police and Federal Agents are working together to hopefully find some more information on teen-prostitution in the Valley area. According to ICE, they think there might be more victims in the Phoenix, Southern California, and Las Vegas areas thanks to the investigation that brought them to the arrest of Carter.

The affidavit that was filed in the case had stated that the young girl had told Homeland and Security investigators that “she had met Carter over the phone through a mutual acquaintance.” That is when Carter persuaded her to leave Los Angeles to meet him, he promised to be her “boyfriend” and “take care of her.”

According to the NEWS release, the 16 year old told federal investigators that after she arrived in California Carter had taken her to a local hotel that is when he then forced her into prostitution. She also said that Carter had made her pose for suggestive photos that he could post on the internet.

The investigators say that she was able to flee after a few days however without money or anywhere to stay she had to return to the hotel to Carter. He allegedly beat her upon her return.

The federal agents say that in late January 2013 that on the sixteen year old’s last night working for Carter he severely beat her by slamming her head into a car window and then forced her to “engage in a sex act with him.” The young girl went to a nail salon to stay safe and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were able to come to take her into protective custody.

The affidavit also said that the investigation had revealed that Carter had been convicted of pandering January 2013. According to the police report, he had taken a thirteen year old girl from California to Las Vegas to work as a prostitute.  It went further to say that he even used physical violence as well as wouldn’t let her sleep and have food if she failed to follow his “rules.” Carter was later released in December on parole.

 Please help stop teen-prostitution

Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call HSI’s tip line at 1-866-347-2423.

Source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/04/21/feds-looking-phoenix-child-prostitution-victims-abrk/7981087/

Categories
Wrongful Death

Man Arrested in Phoenix for Murder in Bar Brawl

Man Arrested in Phoenix for Murder in Bar Brawl

Murder Suspect Arrested for The Murder of off-duty Security Guard

Things can get pretty rough when people get drunk and start feeling a little cocky, things got out of hand one night in Phoenix and it ended with an off-duty security guard losing his life. Phoenix police officers have the man who they think is responsible for killing the off-duty security guard in custody. They think the man’s brother was also involved in the murder bar brawl that happened in march.

The main suspect, Alex Ray Flores who is twenty-one years old was booked on charges of : “First-degree murder, burglary, endangerment and misconduct involving weapons”.

According to the police statement, Alex was drinking at a bar with his twenty-two year old brother, Max Flores. This was on March 14 near 32nd and Oak streets. The bar closed at two in the morning and afterwards Max and Alex had tried to leave the bar with their beer bottles in hand, which you can’t do.

A local security guard, Jesus Rafael Lozano-Vidal, was at the bar enjoying his time off-duty. This is when he saw the men leaving with the beer, he tried to stop the brother then that is when both brothers attacked him. Jesus was shot, taken to the hospital and later died.

According to the Phoenix Police, they believed that Alex was the shooter in this crime. During the brawl, Alex even shot his own brother, Max in the arm.  Alex and Max both fled the scene on foot.

However in this bar brawl case

both brothers are in custody on allegations related to the Lozano-Vidal murder.

Source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/04/18/phoenix-police-make-arrest-bar-shooting-death-abrk/7882555/

Categories
Personal Injury Wrongful Death

16 Years for A Man Who Brutally Stabbed His Girlfriend to Death

Homicides in Phoenix Area

Man Stabs and Beat His Girlfriend to Death Gets Sentencing

Last year a man from Tempe allegedly stabbed and beat his girlfriend to death. He then dumped her body onto a residential street. His sentencing was on Friday in which he got 16 years in prison.

Twenty-six year old Douglas Ray George pleaded guilty to the second degree murder back in February in 2014. The woman was twenty-three year old, Annovedwin Begay-Barakzai.

The court documents stated that the prosecution said that George had repeatedly and then Annovedwin in the apartment that they shared on June 15, 2013.

The court records showed that the police said that her stab wounds were superficial however the beating she received had fractured her ribs and lacerated her liver.  Then, her naked body was dumped in the middle of the street.

According to the records, there were eight people at the trial. Four of them were there for Annovedwin. George’s family seemed unfazed and Annovedwin’s family were very respectful and sad. 

According to the report, George had sat in the court room and stared blankly at Annovedwin’s family when it was their turn to talk, however at one point he gave a slight grin during one of their testimonies. Most of the trial his eyes were closed.

Annovedwin’s Aunt, Yvonne’s statement about Annovedwin

There’s not one day that goes by when I don’t think about her.

Wendy Begay’s statement about her sister

The day she left home, I can remember it clearly I told the defendant to take care of my sister and he said, ‘I will.’ That was the last time I saw her.

Only one of George’s family members spoke in his defense. Stephanie Low, The Prosecutor in the trial, stated that George’s actions were “horrible,cruel, and demeaning.”

George’s statement about his crime

What they are going through now I can’t even fathom. I want to offer my condolences.

Source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2014/04/18/tempe-man-gets-years-girlfriends-slaying/7889179/

 

Categories
Personal Injury

Man Gets Busted for Selling Medical Marijuana

Man Gets Busted for Selling Medical Marijuana

Man In Custody For Selling Marijuana to Detective

A man from San Tan Valley is now in custody for allegedly selling medical Marijuana to an undercover narcotics detective. The Officials from the Narcotic Task Force of the Pinal County Sheriff’s office stated that they had received the information in February. According to that information, Phillip Vaughn, 32, was selling some high grade hydroponic marijuana.

The officials also said that over a couple weeks time, Vaughn had sold the hydroponic marijuana to an undercover detective on several occasions. He was later arrested on March 27th after selling $100 worth.

The officials from the Sheriff’s office stated that Vaughn had admitted that he was indeed using his Arizona medical marijuana program I.D. card to purchase the hydroponic marijuana from several participating pharmacy. He then admitted to selling it around the Sun Tan Valley area.

At this time, Vaughn is still in jail on “suspicion of marijuana possession” as well as “possession of marijuana for sale”.  They have not stated if Vaughn has a lawyer at this time or not.

Read more about the Marijuana incident:

Man accused of selling medical pot to authorities – FOX 10 News | myfoxphoenix.com https://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/25196981/man-accused-of-selling-medical-pot-to-authorities#ixzz2yq2emXch


Categories
Bicycle Accidents Car Accident Pedestrian Accident Personal Injury

Group of Bicyclists Injured in Hit-and-Run Incident

Group of Bicyclists Injured in Hit-and-Run Incident

 Multiple Injuries in Group Bicyclists Hit-and-Run Incident

On Saturday night a group of bicyclists were injured after a hit-and-run accident. There is now an investigation about the incident through the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The MCSO stated that there were three bicyclists that were walking their bikes on a dirt shoulder of 115th Avenue when they were hit by a vehicle around ten o’clock that evening.

The victims were identified as Cam Nelson, Lance Taylor, and Cam’s six year old son. Cam was air-lifted to a local hospital for his life-threatening injuries. Cam’s son and Lance were also taken to the hospital, treated then later released.

The vehicle that hit the three people was described as a new Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck. That truck did not stop after he/she hit the bicyclists. The truck immediately fled the scene. There are no descriptions of the suspect inside of the vehicle as of this time, there is also no license plate number known.

According to the report, the incident had caused some damage to the passenger side of the pickup. The truck reportedly has a broken right headlight and turn-signal assembly. There is some speculation  that the right side of the hood, right grill, and or bumper might also be damaged. 

Anyone with information about the hit-and-run

Anyone with with information should contact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office at (602) 876-1000 or Det. D. Labenz #1773 at (602) 876-2440 or (602) 876-1958. Please reference Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Report #14-007951.

Source: https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/mcso-looking-for-pickup-truck-driver-who-hit-a-group-of-bicyclists-saturday-night

Categories
Personal Injury Traumatic Brain Injury

Older Man Assaulted In Phoenix and Fighting for His Life

Man and Woman Arrested for Involvement of Body Found in Canal

Man Fighting for His Life After Being Assaulted

According to the police, On Wednesday in Phoenix, a sixty-six year old man is now fighting for his life after he was assaulted that afternoon.

The Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson stated that the assault took place near the 16th street and Thomas Road just before three thirty in the evening. He also said that the elderly man and the suspect had gotten into an argument over a beer at a local market in that area.

According to the report, after the sixty-six year old had left the store the suspect had followed him as well as another man. They were in a light colored or perhaps a white GMC Yukon or Tahoe. The police stated that the suspect had gotten out of the SUV and had punched the elderly man in his head which caused him to immediately fall to the ground.

Sgt. Thompson also said that the victim was transported to the local hospital with his serious head injuries, they do not think he is going to survive.

The police are asking for help in identifying the suspect and the driver of the suspects vehicle. The main suspect is described as a Hispanic male who is twenty to twenty-five years old, he’s around 5 ft. 7 in. tall, and around 170 pounds in weight. However they do not have the driver’s description at this time.

Call with Information on the Assault suspect

Anyone with information concerning who the suspects are or where the vehicle may be, is encouraged to call the Phoenix Police Department Violent Crimes Bureau at 602-262-6141 or Silent Witness at 480- WITNESS, 480-TESTIGO for Spanish.

Source:  https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/pd-man-suffers-life-threatening-injuries-after-fight-over-beer-at-phoenix-market