Phoenix police responded to a 911 call about a suspected drop house around 2 a.m. Tuesday in the 5600 block of West Virginia, near 59th Avenue and Thomas Road. Officers reported detaining about 50 suspected illegal immigrants, including 15 to 20 women and children. Police said they took one coyote into custody. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel responded and took custody of the scene, the illegal immigrants and coyote.
Archive for July, 2008Truck crashes into Chinese restaurantJuly 28th, 2008, 8:17 pm by Katie McDevitt Police: Child porn found on computer of peeping tomJuly 28th, 2008, 4:30 pm by Devon HersomAfter sifting through a computer library of 30,000 stored pictures, police found images depicting child pornography on a computer belonging to a man charged with taking photos under the skirt of a 14-year-old in Gilbert Wednesday, police say. Gilbert police arrested Bradley Allen Trotter in a Wal-Mart parking lot at Loop 202 and Williams Field Road close to 3:40 p.m. Wednesday. After searching Trotter’s home, police found several images depicting child porn in a library of 30,000 images Trotter had stored on his computer drives. Trotter has been charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a Gilbert police release. Gilbert police said that Trotter may have other victims and believe he visited several Wal-Mart stores and a Target store before his arrest. He visited a Mesa Wal-Mart at McKellips and Greenfield roads on the day of his arrest at 11 a.m. Police believe that Trotter went to a Wal-Mart and Target in Tolleson on Tuesday. Phoenix police make arrest in sexual abuse casesJuly 28th, 2008, 12:11 pm by John LeptichPhoenix police arrested Robert Jesse Payan at 8 p.m. Sunday in connection with a series of sexual abuse/molestation cases. Most of the incidents were in the area of Interstate 17 to 19th Avenue and, Indian School to Camelback roads. There others were outside that area. Police: Man threatens wife with gun in MesaJuly 28th, 2008, 8:35 am by John LeptichMelvin Allen was booked on charges of aggravated assault, threatening and intimidating, possessing a weapon by a prohibited possessor and disorderly conduct at 11:50 p.m. Saturday after his wife called 911 to report he was threatening her with a gun. After bringing in patrol officers, a canine unit and air patrol, police tried called a residence in the 1600 block of North Date but on one answered. Mesa police announced their presence and Allen eventually left the building and was detained. Two adult females and a small child eventually left the residence. One of the females said she and her husband argued for about two hours, during which he pointed a handgun at her head at least three times. Police made a consent search and found the gun. Police said Allen was previously convicted on charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. Men hit with hammer during Mesa restaurant fightJuly 28th, 2008, 8:33 am by John LeptichTwo men suffered significant injuries during a hammer fight at 12:45 a.m. Saturday at the Native New Yorker, 318 E. Brown Road in Mesa. According to police, both men said they were struck with a hammer. One was hit in the face and lost several teeth. The other was struck in the back of his head and suffered a large laceration. He was taken to Maricopa County Hospital. His status isn’t known. Mesa Police later found a vehicle reportedly used by individuals involved in the incident in the 1700 block of West Emelita Avenue. Four of the five people in the car were caught. During an investigation, police determined the altercation started inside the bar and all involved were intoxicated. Police arrested Carl Anthony Calzada on charges of aggravated assault. Phoenix business catches fire, 40 trucks respondJuly 26th, 2008, 9:26 pm by Devon HersomA fire at a Phoenix asphalt plant required the assistance of more than 40 fire trucks to help extinguish the blaze Saturday night, according to a Phoenix fire spokesman. Captain Hugh Chase of the Phoenix Fire Department said a container of liquid asphalt caught fire at 7:18 p.m. just outside of Fisher Sand and Gravel at 28th Street and Broadway Road. Hugh said his team, with help from Tempe and Glendale Fire, put out the flames by 9 p.m. Almost 40 to 45 trucks were on the scene with close to 100 personnel to put out the fire with a combination of water and foam, Hugh said. According to Hugh, officials are still investigating the cause of the fire and no injuries were reported. Girl has foot severed while boating at Saguaro LakeJuly 25th, 2008, 12:06 pm by John LeptichAn 11-year-old girl boating at Saguaro Lake had one of her feet caught in a rope and severed Friday morning, according to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy Lindsey Smith. The little girl was injured in a skiing accident, but authorities did not give details on how her foot became caught in the rope. The girl, whose name is not being released because she is a minor, was taken to a hospital were her condition is unknown, according to Smith. Police: Man sells stolen weapons on MySpaceJuly 24th, 2008, 4:39 pm by Devon HersomA 20-year-old Ahwatukee man, who advertised stolen weapons for sale on his MySpace page and bragged about his numerous neighborhood burglaries, was arrested by the Department of Public Safety on two counts of misconduct involving theft, weapons and burglary on Wednesday. A DPS release states that Justin Christoffers tried to jump over the wall in his mother’s backyard when members of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) came to arrest him at her home. Christoffers is a convicted felon, the release said, and DPS believes he is a suspect in several burglaries in the area east of the intersection of 48th Street and Elliot Road, where the arrest occurred. The release said that Christoffers may also be charged with being in possession of firearms. 17-year-old girl stages kidnapping with noteJuly 24th, 2008, 12:02 pm by Devon HersomA 17-year-old girl left a ransom note for her grandmother Wednesday afternoon, police say, in an attempt to fake her own kidnapping in Queen Creek. The girl’s grandmother found the note that said: “You can have your car and daughter back when I decide how much money I want” at 4 p.m. in the teen’s bedroom, according to Pinal County spokeswoman Vanessa White. The note was signed “Biggie Little,” White said, and added that the grandmother also reported that her vehicle was stolen. At 1:45 a.m., the 17-year-old girl returned to her father’s home and police discovered the vehicle at a local Fry’s, White said. According to White, the location of the home was not yet available. After an investigation, police discovered the kidnapping was staged and false, White said. The teen was booked into juvenile detention after her arrest, according to White. The Tribune does not publish the identities of minors involved with police arrests. |