U.S. Attorney's Office

UPS Driver From Chandler Found Guilty of Delivering Thousands of Pounds of Weed

What can brown do for you? Transport thousands of pounds of weed for your drug-trafficking organization -- that is, if Chandler resident Robert Gene White was your UPS driver.White, 45, was convicted in federal court of several charges for helping drug traffickers get their product across the countr ... More >>

Luis Vasquez, Former Border Officer, Guilty of Letting 1,200 Pounds of Weed Roll Into U.S.

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who let 1,200 pounds of weed roll on into the United States on a truck from Mexico was found guilty of several charges by a federal jury.Luis Vasquez faces a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine at his sentencing, which is scheduled ... More >>

"Fast and Furious" Report Pegs Phoenix ATF Office, U.S. Attorney's Office of Arizona

The Justice Department's inspector general has released the agency's novel-length report on the "Fast and Furious" gunwalking scandal, which mostly calls out the ATF's Phoenix office and the U.S. Attorney's Office of Arizona for the botched operation.Attorney General Eric Holder released a statement ... More >>

The Feds Proved Themselves a Cage of Cowardly Lions in the Arpaio Investigation

Did the Feds Screw the Pooch on Criminal Investigation of Joe Arpaio?

See also: Investigating Joe ArpaioSee also: The Feds Have Evidence That Joe Arpaio Broke the LawSee also: No Charges for Arpaio: U.S. Closes Criminal Investigation of Maricopa SheriffSee also: Joe Arpaio's Early Christmas Gift from President Obama, U.S. Attorney's OfficeThe U.S. Attorney's Office an ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Early Christmas Gift from President Obama and the U.S. Attorney's Office

See also: Andy Thomas Needs a Perp Walk With His Papi, Sheriff Joe Arpaio See also: No Charges for Arpaio: U.S. Closes Criminal Investigation of Maricopa Sheriff and Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas See also: The Feds Have Evidence That Joe Arpaio Broke the Law -- When Will The Indictments Come? ... More >>

No Charges for Arpaio: U.S. Closes Criminal Investigation of Maricopa Sheriff and Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas

See also: Investigating Joe Arpaio The U.S. Attorney's Office announced today that it has closed its investigation into criminal conduct by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas with no charges against either man. The announcement came after 5 p.m. o ... More >>

Marijuana Backpackers in Arizona Getting Reduced Sentences Under New Policy by Federal Prosecutors

People caught near the U.S.-Mexico border with backpacks bulging with marijuana are eligible for reduced sentences under a new policy by the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office. "Backpackers" with no prior history of drug offenses and no extenuating circumstances, like also packing a firearm, are receiv ... More >>

FBI Helps Nab 10 in "Bootlegging" Bust; One Man Faced Prison Time for Selling a 12-Pack of Natty Ice

When the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office announced yesterday that a six-month "bootlegging" investigation ended with 10 arrests, we were thinking it was a trip back to prohibition, involving Tommy guns, fedoras, and the phrase "G-Men."Nah, we checked out the criminal complaints, and it took six month ... More >>

Joel Fox, Fired Deputy, Wants to Delay Appeal Hearings if Feds are Investigating Case as Criminal Matter

A judge wants to know whether a criminal investigation is open on Joel Fox, the fired Maricopa Sheriff's Office captain at the heart of the infamous "SCA" campaign-financing scandal. Which is great, because so do we. Fox has been fighting to get his job back in a lengthy appeal proceeding that beg ... More >>

Findings of Racial-Profiling, Civil-Rights Investigation Into Sheriff Arpaio's Office to be Announced by Feds

​ The findings of a three-year probe into allegations of racial profiling and other civil rights allegations against Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office will be revealed this morning by the U.S. Justice Department.The Civil Rights Division has run a wide-ranging investigation into the "patterns and pr ... More >>

Findings of Racial-Profiling, Civil-Rights Investigation Into Sheriff Arpaio's Office to be Announced by Feds

​ The findings of a three-year probe into allegations of racial profiling and other civil rights allegations against Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office will be revealed this morning by the U.S. Justice Department.The Civil Rights Division has run a wide-ranging investigation into the "patterns and pr ... More >>

Fiesta Bowl Scandal: Former COO Natalie Wisneski Indicted

​Natalie Wisneski, the former chief operating officer for the Fiesta Bowl, has been indicted in federal court on charges that she tried to cover up illegal campaign contributions by bowl employees, and that she filed false financial records, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.Wisneski is t ... More >>

Army Private Busted Trying to Board Airplane With C4 Explosives

www.scifihero.net.​A Colorado-based Army private getting explosives training in Yuma was arrested yesterday after police say he tried to board a commercial airplane while carrying explosives.U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Robbie Sherwood says Army Private First Class Christopher Eric Wey, 19, tr ... More >>

Tucson Man Indicted for Posing as Air Force Officer to Enter Base

www.legionofvalormuseum.com​According to the United States Attorney's Office, a Tucson man went to some extraordinary lengths to gain access to an Air Force base earlier this year. Once inside, he bought stuff from the base's commissary in what a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman tells New Ti ... More >>

Fernando Woody, Fetus-Killing Father, Gets 10 Years in Prison for Death of Unborn Baby

​The United States Attorney's Office announced today that a man who killed his unborn baby has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter.Fernando Woody, 28, of Fort Defiance pleaded guilty to the crime in March.

ICE Agent Accused of Leaking Sensitive Information to Family Members With Ties to Drug Cartels

​A Nogales-based Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent was arrested yesterday for allegedly handing over sensitive government documents to family members with "strong" ties to drug cartels.According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jovana Samaniego Deas, 33, a special agent with the agen ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Users Become Legal: Nearly 600 People Approved, Mostly for Chronic Pain

  ​Most people approved to use marijuana legally in Arizona complain of chronic pain related to back problems, severe headaches, injuries or arthritis, new stats show. The Department of Health Services is keeping close track of nearly every facet of the program, and will also soon relea ... More >>

Carving Your Name Into 1000-Plus-Year-Old Petroglyphs Could Earn You 60 Months Probation...At Least

www.savingantiquities.orgTrent was here​A North Carolina man was sentenced to 60 months probation for scratching his name into petroglyphs along the Colorado River that are more than 1,000 years old.In addition to the probation, Trenton Austin Ganey must pay $10,000 restitution and complete 100 co ... More >>

Morning Poll: Is State AG Tom Horne the Latest to Cower to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio?

James KingAnything for you, Joe.​Last week, the much-anticipated SCA investigative report was released to the public (New Times staffers had a blast thumbing through some of the findings, which may or may not involve seducing a "live sheep." Check it out here and here).The case involves the lies, ... More >>

Tom Horne Defers SCA Investigation to Feds; State AG Won't Go After Sheriff's Office

Tom Horne has "elected" to defer the SCA case to the feds.​ Tom Horne, the state Attorney General, inherited the SCA case from his predecessor, Terry Goddard. The case is all about the dirty politics played by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the state Republican Party. Briefly, it in ... More >>

Sedona Couple Sentenced to Prison in 2009 Tax Evasion, Conspiracy Case

filmsy.com​We never thought we'd say this, but this Sedona couple could have learned a thing or two from Wesley Snipes.William Steiniger and his wife Diane Steiniger were convicted on tax evasion and conspiracy charges in 2009, and were sentenced Thursday to prison terms of a combined 50 mon ... More >>

Jared Loughner Charges: Feds to Have First Crack at Tucson Shooting Suspect; State Charges to Follow

Federal prosecutors will get the first crack at Tucson shooting suspect Jared Loughner.​The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Pima County Attorney's Office issued a joint statement this morning outlining how prosecuting Tucson shooting suspect Jared Loughner will go forward.Loughner, who author ... More >>

Federal Grand Jury Indicts 34 in Gun and Drug Trafficking Ring

www.world.guns.ru​A federal grand jury has indicted 34 people in a massive drug and firearm trafficking ring. The indictment, unsealed this morning, alleges that defendants were helping supply Mexican drug cartels with weapons bought in Arizona. The indictment alleges that between September 2009 a ... More >>

Leader of "RIP Crew" Gets 15 Years in Prison for Cop-Staged Cocaine Robbery and Gun Conviction

​The leader of the "RIP Crew," a group of thugs involved in the illegal-gun and drug business, was sentenced to federal prison on Tuesday.A federal judge handed down a sentence of 15 years in federal prison for 30-year-old Juan Victor Munoz, a convicted felon, for his role in the sale of an il ... More >>

Rick Renzi's Accountant, Dwayne Lequire, Guilty of Embezzling Funds; Former Counsel for Renzi, Andrew Beardall, Acquitted of Charges

Rick Renzi​ A federal jury yesterday handed a guilty verdict to Rick Renzi's accountant, Dwayne Lequire, for embezzling $796,000 from the former Congressman's company -- and conspiring with Renzi to do it. He faces up to 85 years in prison when he's sentenced on October 18. Th ... More >>

Laveen Woman Gets Prison Time for Cleaning Up Blood and Lying to Cops After Deadly Beating

www.originalalamo.com​If someone's beaten to death in front of you, thrown in a garbage can, and dragged into the desert, do yourself a favor and let someone else clean up the blood.A Laveen woman learning this the hard way after she was sentenced today to 14 months in prison after plea ... More >>

Tax Fraud Suspect Wanted by IRS; Local Man Part of Elaborate Scheme to Steal Millions in Refunds

A California fugitive caught after a years-long "cat-and-mouse hunt" had defrauded the IRS of millions of dollars in a high-tech refund-stealing scheme, federal authorities now say. The fugitive, Daniel Rigmaiden, 29, of Santa Clara, was caught in August 2008, but one of his all ... More >>

Michael Turney Pleads Guilty to Possessing 26 Pipe Bombs; Father of Missing Girl Planned to Blow Up Union Hall, Cops Say

  Image: www.abcnews.com​The stepfather of a girl who went missing in 2001 pleaded guilty on Tuesday to possessing 26 pipe bombs, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported today. Michael Turney, 62, (right) had reportedly planned to use the bombs to launch a suicide attack on a local un ... More >>

U.S. Justice Department's Public Integrity Boss Blasts Arpaio/Thomas Lawyer

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Nativists Go Nuts at a Phoenix Walmart, and the Arizona Republic Belittles the U.S. Attorney’s Investigation of Sheriff Joe Arpaio

January 11 In Blogs: No Pants Ride, Spoon, Culver's, 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: Feathered Bastard: Federal Witnesses Against Joe Arpaio Still Fear MCSO; U.S. Attorney's Office Suggested Th ... More >>

December 11 In Blogs: Modified's Farewell, Michele Laudig, and the Goldwater Institute

​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: Feathered Bastard: Dennis Burke Admits There's "a Problem" with Joe Arpaio's Rampage, Source Says the U.S. A ... More >>

Saguaro Cactus Rustler Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison Should Have Called APS

A bulldozer shreds a saguaro in this image from a YouTube video.​ Two Tucson men were sentenced recently for stealing Saguaro cacti from inside Saguaro National Park, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today. Joseph Tillman, 50, will serve eight months in federal prison. His b ... More >>

Dennis Burke Confirmed as U.S. Attorney in Arizona

​ Dennis Burke, one of former Governor Janet Napolitano's chiefs-of-staff, has been confirmed as the next U.S. Attorney in Arizona. Burke's ultra-qualified for the job. He's a graduate of Georgetown University and University of Arizona, worked as counsel under former Arizona Senator Dennis D ... More >>

BASE Jump in Grand Canyon Costs Daredevil $5,000; Conviction Includes Year of Probation

Image: www.chrismcnamara.com BASE jumper Chris McNamara must pay a $5,000 fine for leaping from a cliff in the Grand Canyon National Park. The winged daredevil and climber from Marin County, California did his wicked deed on November 5, 2007, during a badass Canyon adventure with climbing superstar ... More >>

Bank Robberies on the Rise in Valley; Feds and Local Authorities Pledge to Work Cases Hard

The number of bank robberies in the Valley have doubled compared to the first few months of 2008, prompting authorities to pledge to work harder on the cases. From January to May 1 in 2008, robbers held up 44 Valley banks. In the same four months in 2009, they hit 88. There were 179 bank ... More >>

Internet Police: Feds and Arizona Law Enforcment Data to be Exchanged Online

Image: U.S. Attorney's Office The computing capabilities of law enforcement upgraded today with the "completion" of AZLink, an Internet-based system of sharing federal and local data about criminals and illegal immigrants. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix says the program: ...allows connected ... More >>

Handgun Nets Illegal Immigrant Nearly Five Years in Prison

.38 Superwww.gunsetc.com "Alien in possession of a firearm" sounds a tad like science-fiction poetry, but it's also the title of a federal statute - and one that's putting a Mexican national behind bars for about five years. While gun ownership is an Arizonan's birthright, (the state constitution g ... More >>

Checker Auto Scandal! Former CSK Chief Executives Charged With Major Financial Crimes

Two former executives of the company that owns Checker Auto Parts -- both local men -- have been charged in a 31-count federal indictment with falsifying reports, lying to an auditor, and other schemes intended to manipulate the company's reported earnings.  Former CSK executives Martin G. ... More >>

Gambling Department Director Named by Governor Jan Brewer: Mark Brnovich, Legal Scholar

Goldwater Institute Mark BrnovichLegal scholar, activist, prosecutor and private prison official Mark Brnovich has been appointed director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. Scammers pay heed: This over-achieving barrister is just coming off a stint in the U.S. Attorney's Office in A ... More >>

Up in Smoke

Valley glass blowers and head shops fear prosecution, as Operation Pipe Dream shuts down a local manufacturer

Soft Cell

Special handling for a federal prosecutor's drunken-driving case sparks controversy in sheriff's ranks

Feds Will Retry Symington on Criminal Counts, Sources Say

Rivera's Edge

After a year on the job, U.S. Attorney Jose de Jesus Rivera looks to be in the right place at the right time

Flashes

America's Toughest Suspects

Is Sheriff Joe's pink underwear in Bureau's drawer?

Cowboys and Indians

Scottsdale PD officers charge onto the reservation, spark grand jury investigation

Flashes

A Three-Pronged Probe

State's AHCCCS program under investigation by trio of federal agencies