Month: April 2017

Categories
drug possesion Drug Trafficking felony Medical Marijuana Narcotics

Major Marijuana Bust In Arizona

Narcotics Found Near the Border

Marijuana Seized In Arizona

Marijuana businesses are on the rise in America. Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Arizona’s Port of Lukeville have arrested four United States citizens and seized more than 2,800 pounds of marijuana during two weekend smuggling attempts. talk about a rotten time to smuggle drugs. But let’s be honest, if you’re smuggling drugs your moral compass probably isn’t too high.

According to reports, on Saturday, a fifty-five year old man from Glendale was traveling with a fifty-eight year old female passenger from Phoenix, was referred for a “secondary inspection” of his motor home. The reports say that a CBP narcotics detention canine led the officers to find multiple marijuana bundles. Police say the bundles weighed more than 2,600 pounds and was valued at $1.3 million!

The following day officers referred the forty year old man from Green Valley and his twenty-four year old female passenger for further inspection for his Ford truck. Also with the aid of the narcotics detection canine the officers were able to find more than 150 pounds of marijuana. That bunch of drugs was valued at $77,000.

Officers seized the drugs as well as the vehicles and then turned the suspects over to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Law Allows for Bust Charges

Federal law allows the officers to charge the individuals by complaint. This is a method that will allow them to file charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. This means that an individual is presumed innocent unless there is enough evidence presented to a jury to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

 

Maricopa County Works on Drug Suppression

Maricopa County is working hard to rid its county of drugs. The Maricopa County Drug Suppression Task Force has arrested five people and has seized hundreds of marijuana plants on Tuesday morning. This all happened from a business that tried to evade the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. Pretty crazy when that’s the way that you’re trying to make a living.

Police came armed with a search warrant to a grow warehouse near 40th and Washington streets at 7:30 in the morning. They  were able to seize more than 600 marijuana plants. This was a huge haul for the force since this is one of the biggest drug bust for the county according to Lt. Jeff Gentry of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Gentry also said they collected: hash, edibles, keif which is a dried form of marijuana. According to the reports the marijuana that was collected from the warehouse will be dried at the Drug Enforcement Administration facility then be packaged as evidence.

There were a total of twelve warrants served in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Fountain Hills in the connection with the investigation. Among the items that were seized were also guns and more than $100,000 in cash. What an amazing achievement for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Gentry said that a father and son were believed to be the had of the operation and believed to head more than ten more similar facilities in Phoenix and norther Arizona. They have been running for about a year and half and have generated around $16 million for the operators at this time.

 Marijuana Suspects

According to officials, fifty-seven year old Perry Lee Hestor, thirty-five year old Brandon Lee Hestor, thirty-six year old Christopher Neil Rafferty, sixty-two year old James Allen Donaldson, and forty-four year old Christopher Yancy Martin were all arrested and booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail. They are expected to face charges which include fraudulent schemes and illegal possession and selling marijuana.

Gentry said that those that were involved in the illegal enterprise pretended to be caregivers which is horrible. Doing things legally under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act would have allowed them to have up to 12 marijuana plants as long as they didn’t live within 25 miles of a dispensary. The task force kept a close eye on the warehouse for about four months and did not wittiness any deliveries that exceeded 25 miles.

Suspected Drug Use

Police were first directed to the warehouse after complaints of a strong odor coming in the area.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Statement:

We cannot blame Mexico for this. This is domestic. This is home grown.

Good work to the Maricopa County task force and Sheriff’s office for making this huge bust. This is income that the state needs but also an example that needs to be seen. People can’t do illegal things. The state works with marijuana growers and for someone to try to do things illegally needs to be punished. They’re no better than the gangsters on the streets.

Phoenix Federal Drug Crimes Lawyer

Drug-Related

Any federal criminal charge is a serious matter, but a federal drug crime is often a high-level felony offense, which may result in a significant term of imprisonment. Many federal drug crimes carry mandatory prison sentences. If you have been arrested for a federal drug crime, it is critical that you protect your rights by retaining an experienced criminal defense attorney.

 

Our Federal drug charge attorneys defend clients against all federal drug charges in the greater Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, including:

  • Drug trafficking (trafficking of narcotics and other controlled substances)
  • Drug smuggling
  • Drug conspiracy charges
  • Drug manufacturing
  • Drug distribution
  • Drug importation or exportation

 

Federal Drug Crime Defense Strategy

Federal drug charges can arise in a number of situations. Often such charges arise out of the transportation, sale, distribution or manufacture of large quantities of drugs. If you passed state lines while carrying drugs, you may also have triggered a federal charge.

 

  • As with any other drug charge, there are a number of defenses and effective defense strategies that may be utilized in a federal drug case, including:
  • Use of pretrial motions to seek the suppression of evidence obtained as a result of an illegal search

and seizure.

  • Use of pretrial motions to seek the suppression of evidence obtained as a result of a search

performed pursuant to a search warrant that was not supported by probable cause.

  • Fighting charges at trial if the prosecution does not have sufficient evidence to prove all necessary

elements of a drug crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

  • Negotiation of a favorable plea agreement that minimizes a defendant’s exposure to potentially harsh

penalties normally associated with the conviction of a

 

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Federal Drug Crimes lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of a federal drug-related crime, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

 

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Categories
assault bank robbery felony Personal Injury

Phoenix Robbery Gone Awry

Robberies in Phoenix On the Rise

Phoenix Police Searching for Robbery Suspect

Phoenix police say a person fired a shotgun inside a restaurant in north Phoenix during a robbery attempt.

Police received reports from the Chili’s Bar and Grill near Interstate 17 and Carefree Highway around 8 p.m. on Sunday after the suspect entered the eatery and fired at least one gunshot at the ceiling, a Phoenix police spokesperson said.

According to officials, the person was wearing a mask and left the area on an ATV shortly after the incident.

There were nearly 30 customers and up to 15 employees inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting, police said.

It’s unknown if the suspect took anything during the incident but he was taken into custody after being located at a nearby mobile home park, officials said.

People are asked to avoid the area until further notice.

No additional information was released. Police confirmed that no injuries were reported.

Phoenix Robber

Police are looking for a robber, armed with a hatchet and wearing a college sweatshirt, who is at large after demanding money from an Ahwatukee business on Sunday.

The Phoenix Police Department say shortly before 11 a.m. officers were called out to 48th Street and Warner Road after reports of an armed robbery. The investigation seemed to be centered around a Taco Bell restaurant in the area.

They say a man, who was wearing a red sweatshirt with the letters “USC” on them, entered the business and demanded he be given money; he was armed with a hatchet.

Police say he later fled on foot; no one was injured.

He’s described as a Caucasian man between the ages of 20 and 25 who was wearing a dark baseball hat and was also carrying a dark backpack at the time.

Police looked for the man in the nearby area but were unable to locate him.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect is encouraged to contact Phoenix police.

 

Phoenix Bank and Loan Fraud Lawyer

Criminal Defense Cases

A simple mistake on a bank loan application or the use of expired checks could suddenly escalate into bank fraud allegations. At the Law Offices of the Phoenix-based Perlman Law Group, we are committed to defending banking professionals who handle substantial amounts of money, along with individuals who manage their own finances. We aggressively represent those accused of financial crimes such as:

 

  • Writing bad checks
  • Embezzlement
  • Loan application fraud
  • Identity theft
  • Credit card fraud

 

Contact an Attorney Right Away if You Have Been Suspected of Fraud

If you are suspected of bank fraud, the criminal defense attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC in Phoenix will act quickly to develop an effective defense strategy, while seeking to mitigate any potential damages. They will investigate the evidence obtained against you to determine if the charges fit the crime you allegedly committed. They are prepared to develop a defense strategy based on a lack of criminal intent. Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC will use your clean record to help substantiate a claim that you made an innocent mistake with no intent to commit fraud.

 

Types of Loan and Bank Fraud Charges in Phoenix

Our Phoenix federal fraud charge defense lawyers handle a wide range of charges, including:

  • Embezzlement
  • Immigration fraud
  • Bankruptcy fraud
  • Mortgage fraud

 

Early intervention in any criminal case is helpful, but it can play a uniquely significant role in a white-collar case in which creative case management could potentially help a client avoid criminal prosecution or quickly resolve his or her case.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Bank and Loan Fraud Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of bank and loan fraud, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Categories
assault battery felony Personal Injury

Severe Stabbing in Phoenix

Murder Charges and Investigation

Police Arrest Man Involved in Phoenix Stabbing

Phoenix police arrested the husband of a woman who was found stabbed to death in her west Phoenix home and were preparing to submit murder charges against the man, Phoenix police said late Monday morning.

Police said Jaime Silerio-Orozco, 45, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in death of 42-year-old Maria Del Refugio Soto.

Police said Silerio-Orozco initially told officers that he had seen someone running from his house near 75th Avenue and Crittenden Lane, but he later admitted to investigators that he had stabbed Soto, said Sgt. Vince Lewis, a Phoenix police spokesman.

Police were originally called to the home about 9:30 p.m. Sunday where they found Soto dead, Lewis said.

Neighbors said the woman’s husband and son were home at the time of the stabbing; a daughter moved out several weeks ago.

“If it’s what I think it is — and I hope it’s not what I think it is — then this is very sad news,” said neighbor Yvonne Diaz, 46.

Diaz said that the family is “very sweet” and the woman is going to be missed, adding that, “she was very generous to everyone in the neighborhood.”

Bus Stabbing in Phoenix

Phoenix police identified the suspect Sunday in a weekend stabbing at a bus stop that left the victim in critical condition.

The suspect, Louis York, 41, walked up to officers Saturday morning as they were setting up a perimeter in the area of 37th Avenue and Medlock.

Police said York made some comments that led them to believe he was the suspect, said Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.

York was taken into custody without incident.

Thompson said the stabbing occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. at the northbound bus stop north of Camelback Road on 35th Avenue.

Witnesses said York stabbed 30-year-old Matthew Jones for no known reason.

Jones was rushed to the hospital with a stab wound to the abdomen. He is not expected to survive, a court document stated.

Suspect Flees the Scene

The suspect fled the scene, but later approached officers.

There is no known motive other than the suspect indicated he may have mental problems, Thompson said.

Investigators from the Violent Crimes Bureau processed the scene and interviewed the witnesses and suspect.

York told officers he was recently released from a mental health hospital and, prior to his release, informed staff that he would kill someone once he was freed, according to court paperwork.

The suspect told detectives he obtained the knife that morning from a friend’s house and kept it in his waistband for protection because people were following him.

York got on a bus at 15th Avenue and Camelback Road and saw the victim, whom he believed he had seen at a drug house two days before, the court document stated.

Stabbing Suspect

York and Jones got off the bus at 35th Avenue and Camelback Road and waited at the bus stop for a northbound bus.

While waiting, York said the victim looked at him and started to manipulate his waist while two other people appeared suspicious, police said.

York said he removed the knife from his waistband and stabbed the victim once, the court document said. York said the knife got stuck and he cut his hand on the blade.

According to court paperwork, York said he had been smoking and injecting crystal methamphetamine recently and was not taking his medication for paranoia.

Suspect in Phoenix Stabbing

Phoenix police have one suspect in custody and are looking for another after a fatal stabbing near Seventh Avenue and Camelback Road early Monday morning.

Von Richard Mraz, 55, was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail on one count of second-degree murder.

According to the police report, Mraz was sleeping near a building when a 25- to 35-year-old man tried to steal some of his personal property. Mraz told police that he was awakened by the victim going through his pockets and removing a sheathed knife from his pants belt. He said the man fled but left his cellphone at the scene and later returned.

Stabbing Victim

Mraz alerted others sleeping in the area and a fellow transient confronted the man, according to police. The three men ended up in a fight and the alleged robber was stabbed several times.

The injured man was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police searched the area and took Mraz into custody.

They are still looking for a suspect described as a white male, 60 to 65 years old, about 5 feet 5 inches tall with long blond hair. He is known to frequent some of the businesses in the area.

The business parking lots in the area were closed off for the investigation.

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me