Crime

Dan Wise, Former Scottsdale CPA, Arrested -- Again -- for Charges Related to Alleged $66 Million Ponzi Scheme

Dan Wise, a former Scottsdale accountant, was arrested yesterday for crimes related to allegedly running a $66 million Ponzi scheme, marking the fourth time he's been arrested in connection with the same scheme.Wise, 55, was indicted earlier in the week on 102 federal charges for the alleged scheme, ... More >>

ASU Student Kyle Levitt Shot Man Before Physical Fight, According to Court Records

Witnesses to the Tempe shooting death of 20-year-old Gabriel Batten earlier this week told police the alleged shooter, Kyle Levitt, shot Batten twice in the abdomen before any sort of physical altercation occurred, according to court documents obtained by New Times.Levitt, a 25-year-old student at A ... More >>

Tempe PD: Man Shot, Killed After Argument Over Playing Loud Music at Apartment Pool

A 20-year-old man was shot and killed this morning after an argument over loud music at a pool inside a Tempe apartment complex, police say.Two people are currently being held for questioning in the shooting death.Tempe Police Sergeant Jeffrey Glover tells New Times police got a call about a noise c ... More >>

Is State Representative Daniel Patterson "Innocent" Now?

This past month hasn't been the greatest for Democratic state Representative Daniel Patterson.Nearly a month ago, Patterson became the subject of a House ethics complaint over claims of domestic violence from his ex-girlfriend, and pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor charges related to domestic-v ... More >>

Daniel Patterson's Ex-Girlfriend Now Says Legislator "Should Be Found Innocent"

​Just short of a month after Democratic state Representative Daniel Patterson became the subject of a House ethics complaint over claims of domestic violence from his ex-girlfriend, the woman now says Patterson never did anything wrong.The ethics complaint came out on February 27, as every House D ... More >>

Thirteen Years and a Hundred School Shootings Later, Why Is Hollywood Still Obsessed With This One?

Joe Arpaio's Most Recent Cockfighting Raid Complicates a Phoenix Murder Investigation

​On Saturday night, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office raided a Phoenix cockfight, arresting 40 people -- 17 of them alleged to be illegal immigrants.One of those alleged illegal immigrants, 43-year-old Pedro Reyes-Lopez, was identified as the owner of the house, which earned him a big mugshot i ... More >>

Congressional Candidate Wendy Rogers' House Vandalized; Campaign Cites Left-Wing Blog Commenters

​Republican Congressional candidate Wendy Rogers says her house was vandalized the day she announced her candidacy, and one of her campaign staffers thinks "the Left" might have something to do with it.An email from the Rogers campaign says her Tempe home was vandalized on Saturday night, about 12 ... More >>

Shooting at Nipsey Hussle Concert in Tempe Last Night Injures 13 People. Suspects Still at Large

​ Violence and panic erupted outside of the Clubhouse Music Venue in Tempe last night as a fight between concertgoers at the Nipsey Hussle show escalated into a shooting that wounded 13 people. According to multiple messages on Twitter and statements from Tempe Police Department officials to the ... More >>

Scottsdale Woman Allegedly Kidnapped By Ex-Boyfriend, Says She Had No Idea It Was Him

​A Scottsdale woman was kidnapped from her garage yesterday and driven to a bank, where she was told by her kidnapper to empty her account or he'd harm her and her mother. A bank teller tipped off the cops, who came and arrested their suspect -- 40-year-old Thanh Andrew Harlan.Scottsdale Officer D ... More >>

"Iraqi Culture" Mom Yusra Farhan Arrested Again, Along With Two Other Family Members

MCSOLeft to right: Tabarek Altameemi, Mohammed Altameemi, and Yusra Farhan.​Yusra Farhan, the woman who police say beat her daughter with a shoe and tied her to a bed because she was seeing a boy -- and cited "Iraqi culture" as the reason for it -- was arrested again yesterday.This time, her husba ... More >>

Paradise Valley Murders: Heavily Redacted Arrest Report Released; Michael Crane Discussed Setting House On Fire

Glenna and Lawrence Shapiro were murdered last month in their Paradise Valley home. Six suspects have been arrested in connection to the murder.​The arrest reports for the six people allegedly connected to the brutal murders of a Paradise Valley couple last month were unsealed this afternoon, but ... More >>

Paradise Valley Murders: Heavily Redacted Arrest Report Released; Michael Crane Discussed Setting House On Fire

Glenna and Lawrence Shapiro were murdered last month in their Paradise Valley home. Six suspects have been arrested in connection to the murder.​The arrest reports for the six people allegedly connected to the brutal murders of a Paradise Valley couple last month were unsealed this afternoon, but ... More >>

Tyson Langley, 15-Year-Old Accused of Double Homicide, Pleads Not Guilty to Murder Charges

Peoria Police DepartmentTyson Langley​Tyson Langley, the 15-year-old accused of murdering two people at a Peoria smoke shop last month, was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.Despite his young age, Langley's being charged ... More >>

Death of MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman: Should Alleged Burglars Be Charged With Murder?

​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced yesterday that two men have been arrested for allegedly breaking into the Anthem medical facility where MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman was murdered earlier this month by 30-year-old "UFO-ologist" Drew Ryan Maras, who was sleeping in the parking lot and likel ... More >>

MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman Murder: Burglary Suspects Arrested

MCSODeputy Bill Coleman was murdered on January 8, when he and other deputies responded to a burglary call in Anthem.​In what Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio insists was "not a news conference," the MCSO announced this afternoon that two men who allegedly burglarized the business where Deputy B ... More >>

Sheriff's Office to Hold Morning Briefing on Murder of Deputy William Coleman -- and Dead Cop-Killer Drew Ryan Maras

​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio this morning will brief the media on any updates in the murder of Deputy William Coleman.We expect to find out two things: whether Coleman's murder is related to the murder of a New Hampshire couple found shot to death near Sedona, and if the killer, Drew Ryan M ... More >>

MCSO Investigating Possible Link Between Murdered Deputy and Couple Fatally Shot Near Sedona

​As you've probably heard, a Maricopa County Sheriff's deputy was fatally shot with a high-powered rifle over the weekend. As you also may have heard, a New Hampshire couple was found shot to death in their car near Sedona on Friday, also shot with a high-powered rifle.Now, investigators are tryin ... More >>

Drew Ryan Maras, Possible "UFO-ologist," Identified as Shooter in Murder of MCSO Deputy

​The man authorities say is responsible for murdering a Maricopa County Sheriff's deputy over the weekend has been identified as 30-year-old Drew Ryan Maras -- which happens to be the same name as a "UFO-ologist" who wrote a book titled Open Your Eyes: To 2012 and Beyond. The Sheriff's Office won' ... More >>

Sinaloa Drug Cartel Now Short $7.8 Million, 435 Pounds of Meth, and 650 Pounds of Weed -- Compliments of Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies

WikipediaJoaquin Guzman-Loera is the head of the Sinaloa Cartel. He's also one of the richest men in the world.​The Sinaloa drug cartel recently suffered what local law enforcement agencies are considering a "significant blow" -- a 15-month investigation has led to the arrest of more than 200 peop ... More >>

Meet Brandi Farnberg -- the Hottest Alleged Car Thief in the Valley *UPDATED*

MCSOBrandi Farnberg's not a bad lookin' woman. She's also an alleged car thief.​Sorry, gentlemen, according to her Facebook page, Brandi Farnberg, 23, is in a relationship. According to police, she's also an alleged car thief with aliases like "Sabrina Angelo," "Brandy Torres," and "Kacey Whitmore ... More >>

Maricopa Teen Caught With 500 Child-Porn Videos and Pictures After Year-Long FBI Investigation

Image: www.fbi.gov​A year-long child-porn investigation led FBI agents this summer to a Maricopa teenager with a personal stash of 500 videos and pictures of sexually exploited children.The case was outlined in court records filed yesterday by the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office, which requests the ... More >>

Dozens of Teenage Boy Scout Explorers Have Been Sexually Abused by Cops; Should Scouts Share the Blame?

Mexican Smugglers Exploit the Corrupt Reputation of U.S. Border Officers

Take a Chilling Look Inside the Baseline Killer Case

Tower Heist: The Little Guys Steal from the Rich Guys in This Throwback Action-Comedy

Authorities: Mexican Drug Cartel Suffers "Death Blow;" Billion-Dollar Trafficking Ring Busted Up by Law Enforcement Agencies

ICE​Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies claim to have delivered a "death blow" to a Mexican drug trafficking ring that was running $33 million worth of drugs through Arizona every month.Authorities announced this morning the results of "Operation Pipeline Express," a 17-month invest ... More >>

Cops Think "Uncle Jerry" Morrow Molested Nearly 20 Young Boys

MCSO"Uncle Jerry" Morrow.​If there was a pervert hall of shame, "Uncle Jerry" Morrow would certainly be a first ballot inductee -- he admitted to being a pedophile, and police suspect he's molested nearly 20 kids dating as far back as 1976.Morrow was arrested last night at his home at 4807 South 3 ... More >>

Getting your iPhone stolen? Yeah, There's an App for That -- Just Hang Out in Tempe

www.designtaxi.com​Over the past several weeks, the Tempe Police Department says at least two groups of thieves have stolen iPhones and other electronic devices from at least eight Arizona State University students on or near the university's Tempe campus.The most recent heist happened Monday nigh ... More >>

Quinten Rushton Got Wasted, Exposed Himself, Fatally Stabbed Friend, and Tried to Stab Girlfriend Before Kicking Cop in the Junk

MCSOQuinten Rushton​We've all had those mornings after a night of heavy drinking where we wake up and say to ourselves "what the f**k did I do last night?"Chances are, the answer to that age-old question isn't "pulled out my penis, fatally stabbed my friend, attempted to stab my girlfriend, and ki ... More >>

Suspect in Three Armed Robberies, Ryan Foote, Kills Man Who Dated Ex-Girlfriend, Police Say

Image: Maricopa County Sheriff's OfficeRyan Foote broke into an apartment early Monday and shot to death his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, cops say.​ A 22-year-old suspect in three armed robberies burst through the glass door of a Phoenix apartment at about 3 a.m. on Monda ... More >>

Doctor of Death Peter Normann Gets 25 Years in Prison For Deaths of Three Patients

Peter Normann's headed to prison.​Peter Normann, the Anthem doctor convicted of murder in the deaths of two of his patients, and manslaughter in the death of another, was in a Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison.Normann's sentencing ... More >>

Anthony Rios Used Samurai Sword in (Failed) Bicycle Robbery

MCSOFailed bike robber Anthony Lopez Rios​Mesa thief Anthony Lopez Rios used a samurai sword in an attempt to steal a guy's bicycle last night. More laughable than using a martial arts weapon to try to rob a bike, the robbery attempt netted precisely zero bikes -- and Rios can now add "failed bike ... More >>

Pinal County Deputy Assessor Jacqueline Minto Nabbed for DUI -- Seven Months After Her County Assessor Boss Got Stopped For His DUI

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficePinal County Deputy County Assessor Jacqueline Minto slammed her car into the back of another vehicle last night. Her BAC was .183.​Getting stopped for DUI seems to be all the rage at the Pinal County Assessor's Office these days -- just seven months after County Asses ... More >>

"Thou Shalt Not Steal Bandit" Strikes Again?

Has the bandit struck again?​It appears a thief the Federal Bureau of Investigation's bandit-naming department has dubbed the "thou shalt not steal bandit" may have struck again -- this time in Phoenix.Phoenix police say the First Fidelity Bank branch near 32nd Street and Lincoln Drive in Phoenix ... More >>

Brittany Williams, Mom Who Put Newborn in Trash, Convicted of Murder

MCSOBrittany Williams​A Phoenix mom who put her newborn baby in a trash can last year -- killing the baby -- has been found guilty of second-degree murder, court officials tell New Times.In January 2010, Brittany Williams delivered a baby in her family's Phoenix home. According to authoritie ... More >>

Suspects Force Robbery Victim to Push SUV to Gas Station (With Car) as Girlfriend Taken Hostage; Three Punks Robbed Nine at Gunpoint

Image: Circle K surveillance videoCops say this is one of three men who helped rob and hold a group of nine people hostage on June 28.​ Three hoodlums whose SUV ran out of gas during a June robbery forced one of their victims at gunpoint to use his car to push the vehicle to a gas station ... More >>

Tempe Stabbing Victim Identified, Suspect Gordon Benson Still Loose

Tempe Police DepartmentPolice say Gordon Benson stabbed a Tempe man Saturday morning. He's still on the loose.​The victim of a fatal stabbing over the weekend in Tempe has been identified, and the man who police say stabbed him remains on the loose.Tempe police have identified the victim as 47-yea ... More >>

Shooting at "Cheetah's" Strip Club Leaves One Dead

​A shooting early this morning in the parking lot of a Phoenix strip club's left one man dead and police scratching their heads.Mark Curtis Hill, 38, was shot multiple times in the parking lot of Cheeta's strip club near 7th Street and Indian School Road.

Three Men Claim to be Cops -- Then Rob Phoenix Home at Gunpoint

The robbery took place on the 2200 block of East Virginia Avenue.​Yelling "Police!" and banking on the element of surprise, three men kicked down the door of a Phoenix home early this morning, robbing the family inside at gunpoint.   According to police, three Hispanic men rolled up to ... More >>

Phil Roberts Exaggerated the Phoenix PD's Kidnapping Statistics, Then Tried to Debunk His Own Numbers

Not Guilty?: A List of Five Songs Inspired by the Casey Anthony Trial Verdict

This woman is not a murderer, according to FloridaTuesday was dominated with the news of the not guilty verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial, the latest trial to gain such massive media attention. Anthony was acquitted by an Orange County, Florida jury fn the murder of her 2-year-old daughter C ... More >>

This Guy Robbed Three Banks

If you know this guy, call the cops.​The man pictured above is responsible for three bank robberies over the past month, and cops need the public's help tracking him down.

Registered Sex Offender Carlos Parra's at it Again; Accused of Perving on Three Girls at Wife's At-Home Daycare Business

MCSO Carlos Parra apparently has a thing for young girls.​If your husband has a history of perving on young girls, perhaps a daycare business at the home the two of you share isn't the best idea.That said, it didn't stop the wife of convicted sex criminal Carlos Parra, who's, yet again, acc ... More >>

Catholic Diocese of Phoenix Names Clergy Pervs on Revamped Website

www.paperbackswap.com​Over the past few weeks, the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix has researched and cataloged an index of its clergymen accused of sexually abusing kids, and now it's now releasing their identities to the public. Spearheaded by Bishop Thomas Olmsted, the Catholic Diocese of Phoe ... More >>

Faux-Armed Robbery of Payday Loan Store Foiled When Clerk Spills Her Guts

Lincoln Knight (left), Jeremy Parker (center), and Simone Parker (right) faked an armed robbery that would have netted about $37,000 -- if Knight had stuck to the plan.​First rule of staging an armed robbery: don't tell police it's fake. Second rule of staging an armed robbery: DON'T TELL POLICE I ... More >>

Woman Killed by Fall From Moving Van After Drinking With Friends; Husband to Be Charged With Impaired Driving

PCSOYep -- that's a beer can on the console of the van from which Stephanie Holliday fell.​A Pinal County woman is dead after falling from a moving car Wednesday night. Police suspect she was drunk, and her husband will likely be charged with impaired driving.About 9 p.m. Wednesday, 57-year-old To ... More >>

Phoenix Hate Crimes Rise 125 Percent from 2006 to 2010

democraticunderground.orgYes, Confederate Arizona is alive and well...Recently obtained statistics from the Phoenix Police Department show that hate crime in Arizona's most populous city continues its upward trend, with a 17.4 percent jump in bias incidents from 2009 to 2010.The PPD reported 115 suc ... More >>

Aaron Stackhouse Arrested for Sexually Abusing 8-Year-Old Daughter of Woman He Also Abused

MCSOPolice say Aaron Stackhouse sexually abused four minors, including the daughter of one of his earlier victims.​Aaron Stackhouse has a thing for 8-year-olds -- boys, and girls.Stackhouse was arrested yesterday for sexually abusing the 8-year-old daughter of a woman he'd sexually abused when she ... More >>

Rock Burglar Suspect Arrested

​What's a great way to divert attention from the fact that Mexican drug cartels have infiltrated the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office? Announcing the arrest of an infamous criminal who's been able to evade capture for 17 years certainly doesn't hurt. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County A ... More >>