Christina Latoya Lacy. 22 of Phoenix has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after failing to protect two of her daughters from a violent boyfriend, who killed one of them, a baby. Lacy, who pleaded guilty to child abuse and attempted child abuse, also was placed on lifetime probation. The sentences were handed down Friday in Maricopa County Superior Court. The boyfriend, Jonathan Ray Dudley, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse and was sentenced March 18 to 35 years in prison. Prosecutors said the crimes occurred March 19, 2006, at an apartment in the 3800 block of West McDowell Road while Dudley was babysitting Lacy's three small children. When Lacy arrived home Dudley quickly departed after borrowing money from Lacy to purchase alcohol, authorities said. Ten minutes later, Lacy noticed that the baby, Zacorah, was not breathing and was lifeless on a bed with a large bruise on her stomach. Lacy called 911 and the baby was transported to a Phoenix hospital where she was pronounced dead, authorities said. Phoenix police said Lacy accused Dudley of breaking Zacorah's legs a month earlier. Police also said that after Dudley was arrested, he admitted assaulting the baby as well as striking an older sibling, a 2-year-old girl, on the back, causing the child to fall and resulting in serious internal injury. Lacy was taken into custody after authorities determined she had failed to protect the two children from Dudley. If you or a family member have been charged with a criminal offense, contact Beauchamp Law Office for a consultation with an experienced aggressive criminal defense attorney at arizonacriminaldefenselawfirm.com

Democratic state Rep. Mark DeSimone is expected to resign his seat following his arrest early Friday morning on charges related to an episode of domestic violence involving him and his wife. DeSimone, 45, a first-term legislator representing District 11 in Phoenix, was booked into Maricopa County's 4th Avenue jail. He faces assault charges, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Phoenix police responded to DeSimone's north-central Phoenix home after receiving a 911 call from his wife around 11:45 p.m. Officers were told that the couple had engaged in a verbal dispute that turned physical, said Sgt. Joel Trantor. DeSimone, who had been drinking, is believed to have struck his wife in the face at least once, Trantor said. She had lacerations to the inside of her mouth and lip. No medical treatment was required. One of the DeSimones' young children was in the home at the time of the incident but was not involved or harmed, Trantor said. DeSimone's looming resignation, confirmed by the Arizona Democratic Party, complicates Democratic efforts to retake the House of Representatives in the November election. The party needs to flip at least four seats to claim control of the body, now led by the GOP. District 11 leans conservative, with registered Republicans outnumbering Democrats by nearly 14,000. For that reason, DeSimone's election to the seat was one of the biggest Capitol surprises of the 2006 election. But DeSimone, owner of the Hidden House tavern in Phoenix, was considered a pro-business Democrat with a strong chance at re-election this year. Earlier this week, he was named Freshman of the Year by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. Arizona Democratic Party spokeswoman Emily DeRose said the party hasn't yet begun contemplating ballot replacements for DeSimone, but issued a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

A former teaching assistant accused of having sex with a Higley High School student was given the maximum sentence at a Maricopa County Superior Court hearing Friday in Mesa, and was admonished by the judge for trying to downplay his role in the case. Judge David Udall ordered Jeremy Ross Calvert, 21, of Gilbert, to lifetime probation, to register as a sex offender and serve two years in prison with credit for the estimated 530 days he's already spent behind bars. Prosecutors are pursuing restitution for the girl and her family. Calvert's attorneys had argued the sexual encounter during a band lesson in November 2006 was likely consensual, but the girl has said it was rape. Calvert was indicted in January 2007 on nine counts of sexual conduct with a minor - a lesser charge than sexual assault but that doesn't determine whether the incident was consensual. Calvert recently confessed to two counts as part of a plea deal. Calvert, who had hoped to become a Navy Seal before his arrest, told the court Friday he was sorry that the incident occurred and hurt everyone in the courtroom, but said his case has attracted more attention than it should have, and then challenged prosecutors' arguments that he had sent harassing text messages and a graphic photo to the victim before his arrest. Udall visibly bristled. After Calvert finished his statement, the judge said: "Throughout the proceedings, you have tended to minimize your involvement in this" and issued the tough sentence. Explaining his decision, Udall noted that Calvert had misused his position as a trusted teacher's aide and the incident occurred on school grounds - violating the professional trust and responsibilities of such a position. The case has hurt friends and family members on both sides, as well as the Higley Unified School District, students and staff and their families. Two of the district's employees resigned in light of the incident, and the situation fueled a political battle between the board and administration that still festers today. If you or a loved on has been charged with a criminal offense, contact Beauchamp Law Office for a free consultation with an experienced professional attorney at arizonacriminaldefenselawfirm.com

Maricopa County sheriff's deputies will return to Mesa Friday afternoon to continue "Operation Ghost," their controversial crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Mesa police also are preparing for the second day of the crackdown, working to keep the peace with demonstrators expected to return. Mesa police are establishing a command post near the county's Superior Court building, not far from the Sheriff's Office substation. The Sheriff's Office announced Friday that they had arrested 37 people on the first day of the operation, including 14 who are undocumented immigrants. "During the operational period, nine additional illegal aliens were rescued and detained by the Sheriff's SWAT deputies during a hostage rescue operation at a Mesa drop house," according to a sheriff's office press release. The release said deputies arrested 12 suspects on warrants for various crimes including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, theft, forgery and drug charges. "Today, we are returning to Mesa to continue our operations," the sheriff's office said. The first day drew about 200 protesters. The majority denounced Arpaio's tactics as racist and pointless, saying the undocumented immigrants would return to the U.S. But a small group of Arpaio supporters stood a short distance away, across a police barricade, waving American flags. There were no reported incidents between the two polarized camps. Detective Diana Tapia, a Mesa police spokeswoman, said the demonstrators are expected to return Friday and Mesa police also will be on hand with the same mission as on Thursday. "Our objective in being present today is to make sure peace is maintained for all demonstrators," Tapia said. Mesa Police Chief George Gascón and Sheriff Joe Arpaio have traded barbs for months over the Sheriff's Office's enforcement of federal immigration laws. Gascón has accused Arpaio of grandstanding, saying that many of the undocumented immigrants would be deported, but return to the U.S. anyway. But the crackdowns in Mesa, Guadalupe and Phoenix have drawn considerable support from the public, with many Valley residents praising Arpaio for enforcing the law. Similar crackdowns in Phoenix, Fountain Hills and Guadalupe led to 174 arrests, with 91 of those suspects undocumented immigrants and 41 of them accused of additional crimes beyond entering the country illegally, according to Capt. Paul Chagolla, a sheriff's spokesman.

Monday the Senate approved a bill that would bar motorists from using plastic covers, sprays and other substances to obscure their license plates to avoid costly tickets. Last month, the bill, which focuses on license plates for special organizations, narrowly failed in Senate. But on Monday, the bill passed out of the chamber on an 18-6 vote after a lawmaker requested it be reconsidered. Supporters have argued that these license-plate products threaten public safety, since law-enforcement officials and other drivers need to read license plates during Amber Alerts, hit-and-runs and other emergencies. Foes of the ban contend that state law already requires license plates to be readable. For a free consultation of your personal injury claim, criminal charge, DUI charge, restraining order or juvenile charge contact Beauchamp Law Office for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

Virgil Togstad, III, a 26-year-old man from Whitmann is suspected of shooting his parents and younger brother Monday night. Sheriff's deputies responded to a call that a man was killing his family about 7 p.m. Monday evening. Sheriff's spokeswoman Lindsey Smith said that when deputies arrived, they found a man walking outside with a gun but he surrendered peacefully. The deputies found three bodies: one inside the home, one near the doorway and another on the lawn. Togstad, who has a lengthy criminal history, was booked on three counts of first-degree murder and has two outstanding warrants. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, contact Beauchamp Law Office for a free consultation of your case at arizonacriminaldefenselawfirm.com

The survivors of an innocent motorist killed in a high-speed chase in December want $17 million from state police, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Chandler police in order to avoid a wrongful-death trial.

The parents of Alex Ahmad allege in paperwork filed with Chandler that there was no need for officers to chase a suspected bank robber for 26 miles on East Valley streets and highways because a GPS tracking device was hidden in the stolen money. In addition, a Mesa police helicopter had him in sight.

"This is what happens when you have these high-speed pursuits," said Richard Treon, the Ahmads' attorney.

Treon disputes investigators' conclusions that the fleeing suspect, Richard Schwartz, committed suicide by driving head-on at high speed into Ahmad's car Dec. 5 at McKellips and Dobson roads.

Treon said that after reviewing thousands of pages of police records, interviewing Schwartz's girlfriend and watching aerial video of the crash, he's convinced Schwartz was trying to make a turn onto a dirt road and accidently hit Ahmad.

Schwartz was on his cell phone with his girlfriend in the moments before the crash discussing suicide, but Treon said that doesn't mean he did it.

"He was talking about running into something, not somebody," Treon said.
Treon also alleges in the notice of claim -- a document that has to be filed before suing an Arizona government agency -- that the sheriff's office was involved in the chase and refuses to turn over public records pertaining to it.

"We were not actively involved in that pursuit," said Capt. Paul Chagolla, sheriff's office spokesman.

Chagolla said someone involved in the chase incorrectly stated on the radio that a sheriff's deputy was leading the pursuit in an SUV. He did acknowledge that a Chandler police car and a deputy were involved in a fender bender.

According to a Chandler police report, a Chandler undercover detective in an unmarked car rear-ended a marked sheriff's office patrol car at Loop 101 at Ray Road as they were "following behind a pursuit."

Treon is asking that Chandler pay $2.5 million to Ahmad's parents, but he said he isn't sure yet of the extent of the police department's responsibility.

He's asking for $10 million from the state Department of Public Safety and $5 million from the sheriff's office.

"We were fully within our policies and procedures," said Lt. James Warriner, DPS spokesman.

Officers in the field suspected Schwartz committed an armed robbery and probably committed a series of them and was getting progressively more violent, Warriner said.
He said officers have the discretion to initiate and terminate pursuits based on the department's policy.

Ahmad, 24, was driving his restored Toyota Supra west on McKellips on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community when Schwartz, suspected in a string of bank robberies, including one in Tempe about a half-hour earlier, veered across the center line and slammed into Ahmad's vehicle.

An investigator reconstructing the crash put Schwartz's vehicle speed at 113 mph while Ahmad was going 20 mph.

The chase began in Tempe and snaked throughout the East Valley. At one point, Chandler undercover detectives secretly following Schwartz reported that he was calm and obeying driving laws until a pack of marked police cars from various cities went after him with their sirens on.

If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury or even death, contact Beauchsmp Law Office for a consultation with an experienced injury attorney at arizonaaccidentinjuryattorney.com

A 34-year-old woman was shot Saturday evening after her estranged boyfriend found her in the home of her male friend, officials say.

The male friend and the woman, along with her 2-year-old daughter, arrived around 6:45 p.m. at the friend’s apartment near the intersection of Thomas and Hayden Roads in Scottsdale. Immediately following their arrival, 32-year-old Leroy Edward Clark approached the woman and hit her in the head with the handle of his firearm, according to a release.

The woman fled into the surrounding apartment area where she was followed by Clark. He fired several shots and one bullet hit her in the side of the head, the release said.

After the incident, the suspect fled and has not been found. The identity of the woman has not been released, but she is expected to survive.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense, contact an experienced attorney at Beauchamp Law Office for a free evaluation of your case at http://arizonacriminaldefenselawfirm.com/

 

Guilty pleas have been entered by Nathaniel Shaw of Surprise man who was arrested Feb. 26 following a pharmacy robbery in which a bandit made off with nearly 500 pills of OxyContin, a powerful painkiller.

Shaw, 26, will face several punishment options, including probation and prison, when he is sentenced June 26 in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Shaw was arrested after Surprise police received a tip that he had been trying to use forged prescriptions for OxyContin at local pharmacies. Shaw pleaded guilty last month to two counts of forgery and one count of misconduct involving weapons.

In July 2007, Shaw also pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

Shaw came under investigation after a Feb. 22 holdup at the Walgreens pharmacy at 11514 W. Waddell Road.

The robber, who claimed to be armed with a gun, handed a pharmacist worker a note demanding the painkiller, according to Surprise police.

After receiving a tip and reviewing surveillance photos, police obtained a search warrant and raided Shaw's home.

Shaw, a convicted felon, was placed on 5 years' probation in November 2003 after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, according to court records.

For a free consultation of your criminal charges by an experienced and aggressive attorney contact Beauchamp Law Office at arizonacriminaldefenselawfirm.com

A 54-year-old California woman was killed in a boating accident on Lake Mohave Sunday. Officials say Lois Johnson of Riverside swam behind a boat as it backed up and was killed after the propeller severed her leg.

Witnesses reported seeing Johnson of Riverside jump into the lake and swim behind the boat Saturday, National Park Service spokeswoman Mary Hinson said.

Bystanders pulled Johnson from the water, and NPS rangers provided advanced life support. Johnson later died at a hospital.

Johnson’s death is the 14th at Lake Mead National Recreation Area this year.

If you have suffered injuries as a result of another's negligence, contact Beauchamp Law Office for a free consultation of your case at arizonaaccidentinjury.com