Cop Shop

A state police task force raided a Phoenix home Monday and found 11 illegal immigrants and six suspected human smugglers.The task force, which targets illegal immigration, first learned of the home on Sunday when a caller told detectives that a couple was being held against their will.

The following day, detectives watched the home, which was located in the 9000 block of N. 36th Drive. Police made a traffic stop on a vehicle that left the house and discovered the man who was running the drop house, police said.

The same night, Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Special Operations Unit searched the home and found the missing couple and nine other illegal immigrants and several other possible smugglers. Police also found a handgun.

During interviews, the illegal immigrants told police that they were held against their will and some were beaten, kicked and struck with pistols because their family members couldn’t come up with ransom money.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to the scene and took custody of the 11 illegal immigrants.

A Mesa man was arrested Friday on suspicion of exposing himself to two girls and a man. Adolfo Tovar-Escamilla, 24, who is an illegal immigrant, was booked into Mesa City Jail on suspicion of two counts felony indecent exposure and one count misdemeanor indecent exposure.

Court records say Tovar-Escamilla approached a group of three girls who were walking home to their trailers at 130 E. McKellips Road and asked them if they wanted a beer.
The girls declined and continued walking, and when they got to their friend’s trailer, they told the father, who called police. The father then walked one girl home to her trailer.

Afterward, while a 12-year-old and 14-year-old girl waited with the father, Tovar-Escamilla exposed himself while sitting on a couch outside the trailer, court records say.

When police arrived to the neighborhood, Tovar-Escamilla said he was visiting a friend and had drunk 24 beers.

Court records say he denied offering any alcohol to the girls, but said he did talk to them. Also, he said he did pull his pants down when he was sitting on the couch and then got up to urinate, but didn’t intentionally expose himself.

Police are searching for a man who robbed a Chandler bank on Thursday and drove off in a black Chevrolet pickup truck with an extended cab, chrome rims and tinted windows.The robbery occurred about 3 p.m. at National Bank of Arizona, 6025 W. Chandler Boulevard.

The robber claimed to have had a gun when he demanded money, but no weapon was ever shown, police said.

He is described as white, in his mid to late 20s, about 6 feet tall, with a thin build and black goatee and wearing a black-colored button-up long sleeved shirt and black baseball cap.

Police ask anyone with information to call (480) 782-4130.

A drunken driver that traveled the wrong way on Loop 202 and struck a vehicle head-on, killing a Chandler man in May, has pleaded guilty to second degree murder.Alonso Pena-Reyes, 20, who is in the country illegally, is facing a prison term of 16 to 18 years when he is sentenced on Nov. 5, said Mike Scerbo, Maricopa County Attorney’s spokesman.

Officials said Pena-Reyes was driving the wrong way on Loop 202 San Tan for several miles. He failed to stop for a police officer, then struck a vehicle head-on and killed a Chandler man.

Pena-Reyes was intoxicated and had a blood alcohol content of about .24, which is three times the legal limit, officials said.

Pena-Reyes was held on no bail because he is an illegal immigrant.

A man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stabbing another man at a Mesa gas station during a gang fight.

Ray Ramirez, 19, was booked into Mesa City Jail on one count aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count participating or promoting a criminal street gang.

Court records say police learned of the stabbing from staff at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn hospital, who called and said they had a patient with multiple stab wounds. The man had been stabbed in the stomach, liver and spleen and needed surgery to recover.

Investigators figured out that the stabbing had occurred at Quick Trip, located near McKellips Road and Country Club Drive. Also, they learned that both Ramirez and the victim were documented rival gang members.

Court records say Ramirez admitted to police that he had stabbed the victim multiple times with a knife because the victim had disrespected Ramirez’s gang. Ramirez said that after the stabbing, he flashed gang signs in the parking lot at the victim.

Ramirez was on probation for discharging a firearm in city limits at the direction of Mesa police officers, court records say.

An owner of a pizza restaurant was arrested Wednesday at his Phoenix business after Maricopa County Health Inspectors found drugs in his cooler.

Apostolos Katsoufis, 50, was arrested at the restaurant, located at 2932 N. 16th Street, on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale, dangerous drugs for sale, narcotic drugs for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said Drug Enforcement Administration detectives went to the pizza restaurant after authorities were notified by health inspectors and said they found marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine along with scales to weigh the drugs in various places of the restaurant.

Police learned that the drugs were possessed for the purpose of sale. The dealer likely possessed a variety of drugs, so that he could appeal to a wide variety of customers, police said.

A Scottsdale runaway has been found and is safe .

Julianne Bemis, 14, was last seen right before she left her home in the 28000 block of N. 59th Place about 2:15 p.m.

Police had been concerned because Julianne suffers from seizures and needs to take medication.

Police said they believe Julianne is at a friend’s house.

A 28-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with robbing a Chandler pharmacy of prescription drugs.Asif Arab was arrested about 7:13 p.m. at his parents’ house where he lives in Tempe, police said.

The robbery was committed just before 6 p.m. at CVS, 2005 N. Dobson Road. The assailant gave the employee a letter saying he was armed and demanding all the store’s Oxycontin. He was wearing dark clothing and had a hood pulled over his head and his face painted black, police said.

When Arab’s father let detectives into a bedroom, Arab was wiping makeup off his face. Police had tracked him to the home because a witness had recorded his license plate.

Arab was booked into jail on one count armed robbery. Police don’t believe he was linked to any other Valley pharmacy robberies.

A Phoenix woman shot and killed a man early Sunday after he forced his way into her home.

Police said they received a call that a person was violating some type of court order at a home near 40th and Voltaire avenues. The caller stayed on the phone with dispatchers, but suddenly before police arrived, the man forced his way into her home. The woman tried to get away from him by going into a bedroom, but he followed her and she shot him.

A 45-year-old man was pronounced dead. His name hasn’t been released pending notification of family.

The woman, who is 49 years old, also hasn’t been named. The woman hasn’t been arrested in connection with any crimes.

Police said the two knew each other, but it’s unknown what their relationship was.

Additional information wasn’t readily available. Police are continuing to investigate.