Pinal County

Loose Cannons Motorcycle Club and Rival Gang Shoot it Out in Apache Junction

Two motorcycle gangs shot it out in the early morning hours of Sunday while at a party at the Loose Cannons Motorcycle club house in Apache Junction. Four people were injured, and one is in critical condition, according to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. See also:Devils Disciples M ... More >>

Body of Missing Lost Dutchman Hiker Possibly Found by Superstition Search and Rescue

Members of the Superstition Search and Rescue have discovered what they suspect is the body of a hiker missing since Monday. Crews from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office responded to Lost Dutchman State Park on Monday night -- four days ago -- after receiving a call of an overdue hiker, PCSO spokes ... More >>

Babeu's "Elite" Staff Overcomes Bad Behavior with Loyalty

Dumb Reasons Pinal County Residents Call the Cops: "A Man Was Playing a Saxophone"

Deputies at the Pinal County Sheriff's Office have a tough job: they have to take orders from Captain Underpants Sheriff Paul Babeu, they have to wrangle all of those illegals Babeu talks about on TV, and they have to deal with the rest of the stuff reported to PCSO -- like the person who called to ... More >>

Paul Babeu's Getting Armed Volunteers to (Supposedly) Help Fight Mexican Drug Cartels

Embattled Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu teamed up with state Senator/New Times' "Best Raving Loon" Sylvia Allen yesterday to announce that armed volunteers now be combating drug-smuggling in the county.Babeu's unpaid "Anti-Smuggling Posse" will be the junior-varsity squad for PCSO's SWAT team when ... More >>

Pinal County: Voters Will Narrow Candidates in Hotly Contested Sheriff, Board of Supervisor Races

The seven-way race for Pinal County Sheriff will likely be whitled down to three candidates tonight after election workers tally early ballots and those cast today at the polls in the Primary Election. Glenn Millsaps of Collidge, and Kevin Taylor of Maricopa are competing for the Democratic slot o ... More >>

Pinal Sheriff's Deputy Louie Puroll UPDATE: Board Said To Uphold His Firing

See also: One-on-One Time With a Pinal County Deputy -- Whose Claim He Was Shot by a Drug Smuggler Is Full of Holes -- Produces Startling Results See also:  Pinalcchio: Renowned Forensics Experts Say a Pinal County Deputy's High-Profile Tale About Getting Shot After Encountering Drug Smuggler ... More >>

Paul Babeu Jumps to Apparently Wrong Conclusion: Tempe Cops Say Five Burned Bodies in Vekol Valley Resulted from Murder-Suicide, Not Drug-Cartel Activity

Five bodies were found burned inside an SUV in the Vekol Valley this weekend, and Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu was quick to make his assumptions about what happened  public on Facebook. According to the embattled sheriff, the burned bodies probably were the work of a "violent dru ... More >>

Best Reader Caption For Photo Of Jan Brewer Fingering Paul Babeu: Superbowl sex worker

Pinal County Sheriff's Office"OK Ma'am, the alphabet does not have any numbers in it. You've failed that test and you couldn't walk a straight line. Let's try something else. Follow my finger with your eyes without moving your head. No ma'am, YOU follow MY finger with your, oh for christ sake. Turn ... More >>

Jan Brewer, Umm, Fingering Paul Babeu (and Greta Van Susteren Yuckin' it Up) in You Write the Caption

​By popular demand, we submit to you the above photo of Governor Jan Brewer fingering Pinal County Sheriff/Congressional candidate Paul Babeu for this week's New Times You Write the Caption contest.Adding to the fun is the (ahem) hil-arious caption added by Fox News host/Brewer's BFFF Greta Van Su ... More >>

Neo-Nazi J.T. Ready Runs for Pinal County Sheriff as a Democrat (w/Update)

He supports legalizing marijuana, considers himself a civil libertarian, has had nice things to say about the Occupy movement, and recently filed paperwork in Pinal County to run for Sheriff as a Democrat.One little speed bump: He also happens to be the best known neo-Nazi in Arizona and has referre ... 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 >>

Drug Runner's "Going to Be Pissed" About Nearly $9 Million in Meth and Heroin Seized by PCSO, His Supposed Wife Tells Cops

Pinal County Sheriff's Office 28-year-old Jessica Velasco​The Pinal County Sheriff's Office seized about $9 million worth of meth and black-tar heroin during a traffic stop on SR 347 just south of Maricopa, and the man moving the drugs apparently is going "going to be pissed." About 9 ... More >>

Protest Vigil Scheduled Against Inhumane Immigrant Detention at Pinal County Jail July 7

Vigil for Dignity not Detention.Immigration activists plan to protest the federal government's worst immigrant-detention facility in Arizona.​Immigrant-rights activists are planning to hold a protest vigil at the Pinal County Jail July 7 in hope of pushing the federal government to end its imm ... More >>

Immigrants Who Fight Deportation Are Packed Into Federal Gulags for Months or Years Before Their Cases Are Heard

Alleged Pimp Chad Walker Arrested for Beating Up 15-Year-Old Prostitute

Pinal County Sheriff's Office Chad Walker​Alleged pimp Chad Walker had an issue with one of his gals not getting the money from a client upfront. As is often the case when a pimp needs to show the strength of his pimp-hand, he beat up the prostitute -- who happens to be a 15-year-old runawa ... More >>

Donald Edward Scarsdale, Missing Since Yesterday, Found Alive in Pinal County

Donald Scarsdale was found in Pinal County.​We're happy to report that the Phoenix man who was reported missing over the weekend was found alive today.Donald Scarsdale was found on the side of the road in Pinal County, authorities say.

Boy, 14, Tells Cops He Was Nearly Abducted -- Which He Wasn't

​A 14-year-old Pinal County boy told police someone tried to abduct him last month. The only problem with that is it never happened. After telling his brave tale of escape to authorities about three weeks ago, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office now says the boy's admitted to making the whole thing ... More >>

Beer Thief Offers to "Shoot the Locks Off" Cooler During Second Robbery Attempt of Morning

Pinal County Sheriff's Office Lance Robin Ahasteen​Arizona's liquor laws dictate that people within the state's borders can't purchase alcohol between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. But they can still steal it -- or at least try to -- which is apparently the route a San Tan Valley man took on his q ... More >>

VIDEO of Pinal County Inmate Attacking Guard So He Could Stay in Jail

This is Alexandro Guerrero beating the crap out of a Pinal County detention officer so he wouldn't be released from jail.​Since our earlier post about a Pinal County jail inmate who beat up a detention officer so he could remain in custody and hopefully avoid a "hit" put out on him by a Mexican dr ... More >>

Pinal County Sheriff's Office Suspects Deadly Shooting Near Interstate 8 Related to Mexican Drug Smuggling

​One man is dead and another wounded after they were shot in Pinal County while smuggling marijuana from Mexico, according to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. PCSO spokesman Tim Gaffney tells New Times that six individuals believed to be in the "rip crew" -- a gang that rips off drug ... More >>

Nineteen Suspected Illegal Immigrants Stopped Near Stanfield, Including 10-Year-Old Girl

  ​A traffic stop near State Highways 347 and 84 on Saturday resulted in the apprehension of 12 suspected illegal immigrants, including a 10-year-old girl. Seven others got away. The undocumented travelers were in a caravan of three vehicles all going 75 mph in a 5 ... More >>

Alleged Meth Head Busted Trying to Sell Fictitious Weed to Kids at Pinal County Fair

PCSOCayton Hart ​An alleged meth head was arrested on Friday after trying to sell some weed to a group of kids at the Pinal County Fair. The suspect didn't actually have any weed, but he did have a pocket full of crystal meth, an assault rifle, and a shotgun.About 10 p.m. Friday, a kid reported to ... More >>

Paul Larkin, Pinal County Assessor, Over Legal Limit in DUI Arrest

L. Paul Larkin, Pinal County Assessor, had a blood-alcohol level of .11 in his DUI arrest last month, officials say.​ Pinal County Assessor Paul Larkin had a .11 blood alcohol level the night he was arrested on suspicion of DUI last month. The elected official was arrested February 7 followi ... More >>

Pinal County Sheriff's Office: 102 People and 3,200 Pounds of Weed Recovered in Vekol Valley...in Four Days

One of several vehicles recovered during one of several busts in the Vekol Valley last week.​The Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced this morning that multiple law enforcement agencies are responsible for the arrests of 102 people and the recovery of more than 3,200 pounds of weed in the Vekol ... More >>

Feds Debunk Another Sheriff Babeu Claim, Say Cartels Not Really Occupying "75-100" Hilltops in Pinal County

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu​ Cartel members aren't really turning Pinal County into something more like Afghanistan, despite what Sheriff Paul Babeu wrote in a letter last week to the mayors of several Arizona border cities.Ironically, the sheriff had written in response to the mayors' urg ... More >>

Paul Babeu's Flack Fans Flames in Battle With Border Mayors

Sheriff Paul Babeu fighting a two-front war. On one front: drug cartels. On the other: three border mayors who want him to tone down the rhetoric.​There's a pissing match underway between the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and three mayors of cities along the U.S./Mexico border -- and it just got p ... More >>

Three Pooches Put Down After Attacking Arizona City Boy Last Month

RIP, pooches.​The three dogs that attacked an Arizona City boy last month have been euthanized, Pinal County officials confirm to New Times.The dogs had been in a mandatory quarantine after mauling the 10-year-old victim so badly he needed to be medevaced to a Phoenix hospital for treatment on Jan ... More >>

Dead Body Found in Toolbox Buried in Pinal County Desert. Sorry, Jan Brewer, Head's Still Attached

Pinal County Sheriff's Office A hunter in Pinal County found a dead body in the above toolbox over the weekend.​A hunter roaming the desert in Pinal County over the weekend made a grim discovery: he found a half-buried toolbox containing a decomposing body.Much to the chagrin of Governor Ja ... More >>

Truck Full of Weed Crashes into Arizona City Home

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThat weed-filled truck to the left crashed into that house (center) moving that couch (right) off the wall.​Imagine sitting on your couch, relaxing, and having a truck full of weed come crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid guy. It may sound too good to be true, ... More >>

Suspect Who Goes by Name "Gremlin" Sought in Eloy Bar Stabbing

www.treasureseekersgifts.com​It seems someone was fed after midnight...There was a bloody scene at an Eloy bar over the weekend,  thanks to a guy with the nickname "Gremlin," who authorities say stabbed another bar patron during a New Year's morning brawl.Cops got a call about 2:30 a.m. ... More >>

"Rip Crew" Uses Fake Cop Car to Attempt to Steal Weed

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThis was the scene along I-8 near the Vekol Valley on Saturday night.​Pinal County sheriff's deputies say a "rip crew" used a car made to look like a police cruiser to make a traffic stop on another vehicle, in which there just happened to be about 320 pounds of weed.A ... More >>

Pinal County Man's Leg Amputated After Being Run Over by Cotton Picker; Currently in Critical Condition

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThis is the cotton picker that ran over 55-year-old Javier Rios.​A Pinal County man is down one leg and is in extremely critical condition after being run over by a cotton picking machine being pulled by the tractor he was driving.The mishap occurred just after 11 a.m. ... More >>

One-on-One Time With a Pinal County Deputy -- Whose Claim He Was Shot by a Drug Smuggler Is Full of Holes -- Produces Startling Results

Fourteen-Year-Old Impaled by Pole After Mom Let Him Drive Car

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThe scene from the wreck that left two teens impaled by a fence post.​A Pinal County mom let her 14-year-old son use her car to go joyriding with a group of friends and it didn't go well -- he crashed the car, and a fence pole impaled the boy and one of his friends.Acc ... More >>

Oct. 21 In Blogs: Air Sex, Munny, Beyonce, and John McCain

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Senate Bill 1070: Even The Damned Psychologists Are Chiming In!

Other than Pinal County sheriff's deputy Louie Puroll (if you believe him), just about everyone , including small children and our loyal mascot Frax (who looks an awful lot like the Jack Russell terrier in the photo), has heard about Senate Bill 1070. You know, the divisive anti-illeg ... More >>

Pinal County Man Cited for Keeping Deer as Pet

Pinal County Sheriff's Office That deer is a Pinal County man's pet.​We can understand the benefit of having most pets. Dogs make you feel like a rock star every time you walk in the door, fish are fun to look at, and cats...well, people seem to like 'em.What we can't figure out, however, i ... More >>

Sept. 29 In Blogs: Rick Romley, Batman, Obama, Pig's Blood, and ABC World News

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Sept. 27 In Blogs: Paul Babeu, Tour de Coops, Ratatat, Lee's Cream Liqueurs, and Terry Goddard

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Pinalcchio: Renowned Forensics Experts Say a Pinal County Deputy's High-Profile Tale About Getting Shot After Encountering Drug Smugglers Doesn't Add Up

Pinal County Man Arrested for Possession of Baking Soda -- That "Baking Soda" Was Actually Cocaine

​Trying to tell your parents the cocaine they found in your room is baking soda might work. Trying to pass that cocaine off as baking soda to cops is another story.A Pinal County man learned that lesson the hard way after cops found him in possession of the (ahem) baking soda.On September 8, a nar ... More >>

Animal Cops Rescue 171 Animals Living With Family of Four in Feces-Covered Trailer

"Save me!"​Animal Care and Control officials in Pinal County removed 152 cats and 19 dogs from a trailer in Southern Arizona. The animal rescuers reported that the trailer in Hidden Valley, a community south of Maricopa, had no litter boxes, no running water, and layers of feces covering the ... More >>

Pinal County Sheriff's Deputy Shot By Suspected Drug Runners/Illegal Immigrants

A Pinal County Sheriff's Deputy was shot and wounded today by suspected drug runners smuggling an unknown quantity of marijuana through the desert. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office identified the injured Deputy as Louie Puroll, 53, a fifteen year veteran of the departm ... More >>

Rabid Bobcat Attacks Pinal County Man; It's the Lamest Rabid Bobcat Story We've Heard in Over a Year

www.icanhazcheezburger.com​It's rare that a story about a rabid bobcat attacking a human being could ever be considered lame, but given Arizona's recent history with these foamy-mouthed felines, the latest tale is a bit of a yawner. We all remember the rabid bobcat that burst into a Cottonw ... More >>

More Pinal County Officials in Trouble: Assistant County Manager and Assessor Disciplined in Separate Cases

Pinal County, Maricopa's southeastern neighbor, has been rocked in recent years by allegations of incompetence and wrongdoing by some of its top officials. New Times has obtained two more names for the list: * Lisa Garcia, assistant county manager for Health and Human Services, who was suspended fo ... More >>

From BFE to PHX

Quirky music fest lands at Cricket

Court strikes down Pinal's $200,000 outdoor-dancing fine against San Tan Flat

Dance Gestapo

Colorful San Tan Flat's owner says Pinal County's out to get him, and he's probably right

RUNAWAY TRAINSTHE RAILROAD INDUSTRY WON'T TAKEN THE BLAME IF YOU GET KILLED AT ONE OF ITS CROSSINGS