LaWall AReport 1120.indd

Transcription

1996 - Swearing in ceremony of Pima County
Attorney Barbara LaWall, the first woman elected
to the position.
Pursuing Justice • Prosecuting Criminals • Helping Victims • Protecting the Community
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The Pima County Attorney’s Office is dedicated to the pursuit of truth and justice.
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We protect the public safety of the citizens of our community by vigorously and
professionally prosecuting those who violate the law and threaten and endanger
the safety of others.
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We safeguard and promote victims’ rights. We ensure the respectful treatment and
consideration of those victimized by crime.
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We seek to provide the highest quality prosecution services and to maintain the
integrity of the criminal justice system.
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We seek to implement, promote, and participate in programs that reduce crime and
enhance the quality of life in our community.
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We contribute to excellence in local government by providing quality legal services
to Pima County, its departments, and elected officials.
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We work tirelessly and relentlessly, dedicating ourselves to making the Pima
County Attorney’s Office the best in the nation and a model for the state.
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Contents
Administering Justice .......................................2
Fiscal Responsibility .........................................3
Prosecuting Criminals ......................................4
Homicides .........................................................5
Homicide Cold Cases ............................................... 7
Investigating Crime .........................................8
Guns, Gangs and Violent Crimes .....................9
Special Victims Unit ........................................ 12
Crimes Against Children ........................................ 13
Registered Sex Offenders ...................................... 14
Animal Abuse and Cruelty .................................... 15
Domestic Violence .................................................. 16
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs ..................... 18
The Methamphetamine Epidemic ........................ 19
Fighting the Drug Epidemic .................................. 20
Governor’s Meth Task Force ................................. 21
Forfeiture ........................................................22
Property Crimes .............................................23
Auto Theft .......................................................24
Vehicular Unit .................................................25
Appellate Unit .................................................26
Misdemeanor Crimes ..................................... 27
Juvenile Unit ...................................................28
S.M.A.R.T. Program ................................................. 29
88-CRIME ........................................................30
Bad Check Program ........................................ 31
Community Prosecution .................................32
Neighborhood Protection ..................................... 33
Victim Witness ................................................35
Helping Victims ....................................................... 36
Targeting Gun Violence .................................. 37
Youth Crime Prevention Programs ................38
Community Justice Boards ................................... 39
Citizen Involvement ........................................40
Volunteer Opportunities ........................................ 41
Volunteers................................................................ 42
Community Collaborations ............................43
Civil Division ...................................................45
Professional Leadership .................................48
Recognition and Awards.................................49
Giving Back to Our Community .....................50
Employees ....................................................... 51
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
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Pima County Attorney’s Message
It is an honor and a privilege to represent you as your County Attorney. My
staff and I work hard to justify the confidence you have placed in us during the
past ten years. I am pleased to report that our office consistently excels in all
performance measures and exceeds the performance of other public law offices.
With public safety as my top priority, my emphasis has been on vigorous
prosecution and defendant accountability, with special attention given to helping
victims, limiting plea bargaining, prosecuting crimes against children, preventing
juvenile crime, and increasing efficiency and effectiveness by promoting the careful
use of taxpayer dollars.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office continues to maintain the lowest plea
bargaining rate in Arizona. We focus on violent and potentially violent crimes,
significantly increasing the rate at which those cases are taken to trial in order to
hold violent predators and dangerous repeat offenders strictly accountable for their
crimes by ensuring they receive the maximum prison time.
Over the last decade, we have prosecuted substantial cases and sought
system reforms to better protect the public and ensure equal justice. As I complete
my third term as Pima County Attorney, my commitment to these goals has not
wavered.
This report focuses on the programs and policies initiated and expanded
upon during the first ten years of my service as your County Attorney. We pride
ourselves on being creative, and some of our programs and initiatives are the first
of their kind in the nation.
Our agenda is one of action and innovation. We created new programs such
as the Safe Baby Program, Amber Alert, Bad Check, CARGO, SMART, Act Now
Truancy, and Community Justice Boards, and initiated Drug Court programs. We
have expanded and improved upon existing programs such as 88-CRIME, Victim
Witness, and Child Advocacy programs.
There have been monumental changes in the Pima County Attorney’s Office
as we entered a new century.
Prominent among these changes are the increased use of DNA and the
prosecution of “cold cases.”
Identity theft and predatory internet crimes against children, and dealing with
ever increasing drug and methamphetamine use present growing challenges that
the County Attorney’s Office confronts and meets because sufficient groundwork
has been laid.
New initiatives and innovative programs for juveniles – both as offenders and
potential victims – were created and have been expanded.
Tough enforcement actions and intensive collaboration with the multi-agency
gang and drug task forces improved responses to those crimes.
Fresh approaches were taken to address child abuse and neglect. Our office,
working together with local law enforcement agencies, child welfare agencies and
healthcare professionals, developed new protocols to address child abuse, domestic
violence and drug-endangered children. This is one of the best ways we have found
to protect the abused, neglected and endangered children of Pima County.
This report documents our efforts to combat crimes of violence, fraud, and
theft at every level.
As you will see, we take our mission to protect the public safety very seriously
at the Office of the Pima County Attorney. This
report gives you an overview of our responsibility
on behalf of the residents of Pima County. After
reading it, I invite you to learn more about our
work by visiting our website (www.pcao.pima.gov)
or by signing up for our Community Prosecutor’s
Academy offered twice a year.
Through the tireless efforts of our employees
and collaborative working relationships with
other County departments, local, state, and
federal law enforcement agencies, and the
public and private sectors, we work to make
our community safer and strive to improve the
quality of life in our community.
Let me commend and thank my staff.
They are dedicated public servants who
work tirelessly to consistently exceed what
is asked of them. I am very proud of what
they have accomplished. These have been
ten very successful years for criminal justice in
Pima County.
Barbara LaWall, Pima County Attorney
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Pima County Attorney’s Office
ADMINISTERING JUSTICE: Pima County Attorney’s Office operates with the highest degree of fiscal responsibility
Chief Deputy County Attorney: Amelia Craig
Cramer. This position functions as the assistant head of
the County Attorney’s Office. Together with the County
Attorney, the Chief Deputy is responsible for the overall
management and operations of the office.
Organization and Staffing
The Pima County Attorney’s Office serves
over one million residents. This is a thirty percent
population increase since 1996. Our jurisdiction is
one of the largest in the nation, comprising more
than 9,000 square miles.
THEN: In 1996, our office staff included
slightly fewer than 300 employees.
NOW: Today we have almost 400 employees:
including criminal and civil attorneys, detectives,
victim witness advocates, legal support staff,
information technology staff, and administrative
staff.
We provide prosecution services to all of Pima
County.
Ajo and Green Valley
The Pima County Attorney’s Office provides
full-time prosecution services for the Ajo and Green
Valley communities. Misdemeanor offenses are
addressed through the Justice Courts in both areas.
Last year, the Ajo office handled 672 cases, and
the Green Valley office handled 848 cases.
Operating Within Budget Constraints
The Pima County Board of Supervisors sets our
budget. The County Attorney’s Office provides the
best legal services possible to the citizens of Pima
County and does so with the highest degree of
fiscal responsibility by operating within established
budget limitations.
Offices
The Pima County
Attorney’s Office is
headquartered in
downtown Tucson.
It also has an office
next to the Juvenile
Court Center as well as
offices in Green Valley
and Ajo.
The County Attorney’s Office
administration staff is less than
4% of our total staff. We keep
administrative costs low, enabling
more tax dollars to be devoted to
prosecuting criminals, protecting the
community and helping victims.
The Courthouse in Ajo, Arizona
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
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FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Eases the burden on the taxpayer
Budget
THEN: In 1996, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office total operating budget was approximately
$19 million. Of this amount, $12 million came
from the County’s General Fund of property tax
revenues. The rest came from grants and special
revenues.
NOW: The Pima County Attorney’s Office
operating budget for fiscal year 2005/06 is
approximately $27 million. Of this amount, $17
million is provided by the Pima County Board of
Legal Administrator: David A. Smutzer
The Administration Division is responsible for the
continuing support of all other divisions within the
County Attorney’s Office. It develops and implements
policies and procedures under the direction of the
County Attorney and is primarily responsible for budget
and finance, personnel, purchasing, and facilities
management.
Over the past ten years the Pima County
Attorney’s Office has collected more than
$35 million in civil and criminal fines and
fees, which has been paid into the County’s
General fund.
Supervisors from the County’s General Fund of
property tax revenues.
The County Attorney’s portion of the
General Fund is only 1.4% of the total County’s
General Fund budget of more than $1.2 billion.
It is only 8% of the County’s overall General
Fund budget for justice and law enforcement
agencies.
Grants Save Local Tax Dollars
Approximately $10 million, one third
of the County Attorney’s Office budget,
comes not from your taxpayer dollars, but
from federal, state and local grants, special
revenue funds and assets seized from
criminals. These resources ease the burden
on Pima County taxpayers.
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PROSECUTING CRIMINALS: The County Attorney’s conviction rate is 90.8%*
In 2006, the crime rate for Pima County was
5.8 crimes per 1,000 people. This exceeds the
crime rate of both Maricopa and Los Angeles
counties. As might be expected, this results in a
very high caseload for the County Attorney’s Office.
Despite a continually increasing caseload, our
effectiveness and our conviction rate, especially at
trial, remain high.
In 2006, there were 5,653 felony defendants
disposed, with 403 felony criminal trials.
There has been a 40% increase in the
number of cases brought to the County
Attorney’s Office since 1996.
Chief Criminal Deputy: David Berkman
The Criminal Division is divided between an administrative
operation and 13 prosecuting units that handle cases
involving murder, assault, drug sales, burglary, theft,
kidnapping, rape and armed robbery. The Criminal
Division has established diversion programs to help
rehabilitate people and a Bad Check Program to help
merchants and individuals collect on bad checks.
10 year Comparison of Felony Cases
in the Pima County Attorney’s Office
Year
1996
2006
# Presented
by Law Enforcement
7,615
10,713
# Filed
in Court
4,248
5,539
*This figure is from the Arizona Supreme Court data and
is determined by total number of felony cases filed and
the outcome of those cases; that is, whether these cases
were resolved by way of conviction (guilty plea or guilty
verdict), not guilty verdict or dismissal.
Pima County has the lowest plea
bargain rate in Arizona
FY 02/03
FY 30/04
FY 04/05
FY 05/06
Trials
415
413
443
403
Trial Rate
8.4%
8.1%
8.1%
7.1%
Dispositions
4968
5126
5489
5653
Prison (DOC)
1464
1440
1687
1770
Percent to Prison
29.5%
28.1%
30.7%
31.3%
The Arizona Daily Star featured Attorney Mark Diebolt
in a scene from the ABC TV documentary “In the Jury
Room.” In 2005 Mark was nominated for Prosecutor of
the Year by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory
Council. ABC Photo.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Wendy Sue Anderson
In August 2004, Deputy County
Attorney Mark Diebolt’s prosecution
of State v. Wendy Sue Anderson was
featured in the ABC television series,
“In the Jury Room.” While driving
drunk, Ms. Anderson smashed her
car into a motorcycle. The driver of
the motorcycle was severely injured,
and his passenger, his 18-year old
son, was killed. The jury convicted
Anderson of manslaughter. She was
sentenced by Judge Kenneth Lee to
ten years in prison.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
HOMICIDES: Since 1996, the County Attorney’s Office has prosecuted 900 defendants for murder
These killings are the result of home invasions,
drug executions, drive-by shootings, car jackings,
aggravated assaults, armed robberies, domestic
violence, and vehicular offenses.
Each homicide case is given special attention
to ensure that victims’ families are cared for and
consulted during the sometimes lengthy justice
process.
In 2006 alone, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office filed 65 homicide cases.
The County Attorney’s
Homicide Panel
County Attorney Barbara
LaWall and senior prosecutors
meet to discuss each homicide
case. This panel hears the
facts of each case and receives
input from the police, victims
and the defense before
making a decision whether to
offer a plea or proceed to trial.
Because of the harm
caused by murders, not only
to the victim and surviving
family members, but to the
community as a whole, high
priority is placed on trials in
these cases.
Case Panel consisting of
the County Attorney, the
Chief Criminal Deputy, Chief
Trial Counsel, and senior
prosecutors experienced
in trying death penalty
cases. This panel devotes
full attention to any case
that may merit this penalty
and considers the serious
implications of filing a death
notice.
The Homicide Panel reviews all murder cases.
The Capital Case
Commission
In 2000, then Arizona
In 2005, shortly after being
Attorney General Janet
released from prison, Vernon
Napolitano created a Capital
Bullock Jr., age 29, shot and
Case Commission to study
killed a man outside the Bum
the death penalty in Arizona.
Steer Bar. He was prosecuted by
The Commission included
Deputy County Attorney Lewis
Justices of the Supreme
Brandes. The jury convicted
Court, state legislators,
Bullock of second-degree
prosecutors, criminal defense
murder, and Judge Hector
attorneys, and others in the
Campoy sentenced him to
community and produced a
prison for another 20 years.
comprehensive report on the
state of capital litigation in
Arizona. Chief Trial Counsel
Rick Unklesbay represented the Pima County
The Death Penalty Capital Case Panel
Attorney on this state-wide commission for
Not all murders are death penalty cases.
more than two years.
Deciding when a case should be tried as a death
It also made specific recommendations on how
penalty case is one of the most complex, difficult
capital cases should be handled from charging
decisions in prosecution.
through the appeals process. Changes in the
These decisions are made by a separate Capital
manner in which the Pima County Attorney’s Office
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Vernon Bullock
handles death penalty cases came about as a
result of the recommendations of the Capital Case
Commission.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Ralph David
Cruz
In August of 2000,
sixteen-year old Ralph
David Cruz was arrested for shooting
and killing a young woman and her two
small children in the course of stealing
her car tires and rims. Deputy County
Attorney Kathleen Mayer prosecuted
Cruz. He received three life sentences
without the possibility of parole. He will
die in prison.
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CASE PROFILE:
State v. Cody Martinez
In 2003, Cody Martinez, in a
rage over a drug debt, kidnapped,
shot-gunned, stabbed and burned
a man alive. He left the burning
body near the airport and fled,
but was soon apprehended and
arrested.
Because of the extreme
aggravated nature of the offense,
it was determined that the death penalty was warranted. The
defendant was prosecuted by Deputy County Attorneys Kellie
Johnson and Teresa Godoy. The jury convicted Martinez
and sentenced him to death for this heinous offense.
Chief Trial Counsel Rick Unklesbay in court with Stardust
Johnson, wife of murder victim Roy Johnson.
CASE PROFILE:
Photo © 2003 Tucson Citizen. Reprinted by permission.
State v. Jason Paul Doty
Dubbed by the media as the “Aryan Satanist,” Jason Paul
Doty was convicted of first degree murder in 2002 for killing a
security guard at Tohono Chul Park The jury was unanimous
in its verdict that Doty was responsible for the death of 55year old Grady Towers. Towers was shot seven times; once in
the upper chest and six times in the head. The jury also convicted Doty of armed robbery for
stealing from his victim and for taking a donation box from the gift shop at the park.
Doty’s motivation for the murder was his belief in “Aryan Satanism,” which he believed
required a spiritual war to purify the white race. He believed he needed to slay a white person
on the Spring Equinox, the date of the murder, in order to achieve magical powers. Doty was
prosecuted by Deputy County Attorney Teresa Godoy and sentenced by Judge Frank Dawley to
life in prison. Doty had previously served eight years in prison after being convicted of burglary.
He died in prison of cancer in 2003 after having served one year of his sentence.
1996 - 2006 Pima County’s
39 Death Penalty Cases*
n
n
n
n
n
n
13 death sentences
10 life sentences
14 guilty with lesser sentences
6 cases pending
1 died in prison
1 not guilty
* some cases in two categories
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
HOMICIDE COLD CASES: Pursuing unsolved murders delivers a measure of justice and closure
In 2006, the Pima County Attorney’s Office
began working in collaboration with the Pima
County Sheriff’s Department and the Tucson Police
Department by assigning experienced Deputy
County Attorneys and County Attorney Detectives
to work cold case homicides. Since the initiation
of the Cold Case Unit, arrests have been made
in seven cold case homicides, and several others
are pending trial. These solved cold cases date
from 1987 through 2000.
Led by experienced senior prosecutors
and assisted by
County Attorney Law
Enforcement, many hours
of investigation, hard
work, and dedication
go into pursuing these
unsolved murders.
Solving cold cases not
only delivers justice, it
also brings closure to
families whose lives
have been shattered by
murder.
The FBI’s Combined
DNA Index System
(CODIS) enables federal,
state, and local crime
labs to exchange
and compare DNA
profiles electronically,
thereby linking crimes
to each other. DNA is
an invaluable tool in
helping the Cold Case
Unit identify and convict
offenders.
Deputy County Attorney Bill McCollum
assigned to the Cold Case Unit.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Gary Skaggs
In 1995, Gary
Skaggs killed a
young couple in their living room
with a machete.
A decade later, after the County
Attorney’s Cold Case Unit located
witnesses who had disappeared,
Skaggs was found and arrested. He
was prosecuted by Deputy County
Attorney Bill McCollum and convicted
of first degree murder. Judge John
Leonardo sentenced Skaggs to two
consecutive life terms in prison.
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INVESTIGATING CRIME: County Attorney Detectives handled more than 8,000 requests for investigative services in 2006
Chief of Detectives: Kenneth R. Janes
The Pima County Attorney Criminal Investigation Division
provides investigative support services that range
from complex murder investigations to supporting the
innovative truancy program.
Criminal Investigation Division
This Division, consisting of twenty-four highly
skilled Arizona POST certified, sworn peace officers,
is the law enforcement component of the Pima
County Attorney’s Office.
In 2006, County Attorney Detectives
received more than 8,000 requests for
investigative services and served 1,655
subpoenas. In addition, Detectives assigned
to serve bad check warrants disposed of 685
warrants with bonds totaling more than
$683,000.
A detective assigned to the multi-agency FBI
Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team
participated in numerous online stings to catch child
predators and conducted training presentations
throughout the community. These programs teach
participants how to protect their children using the
Internet.
Our detectives assist
prosecutors in case preparation,
conduct original investigations,
and provide help to other
law enforcement agencies.
Assistance to other law
enforcement agencies is
accomplished through
participation in the agencies’
work units such as the Cold
Case Homicide Unit and federal,
state, and local law enforcement
task forces, such as Border
Patrol, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) Task
Force, and the Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) Task
Force. Working together has produced outstanding
results for Pima County.
In 2006, the County Attorney Detectives
assigned to these multi-agency task forces
made 323 arrests, seized over 160,000 pounds
of marijuana, 200 pounds of cocaine, and 700
grams of methamphetamine, and more than
$1.2 million in cash from criminal enterprises.
Pima County Attorney Detectives
provide witness protection services in
critical cases.
Victims and witnesses sometimes receive
threats from defendants or other witnesses and
need to be protected both before and during trial.
When this happens, County Attorney Detectives
provide witness protection.
Detectives may park in front of the witnesses’
home at night, stay in the
home with the witness or in an
adjoining hotel room, and escort
the witness to and from trial.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
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GUNS, GANGS, AND VIOLENT CRIMES: Gang members are some of the most violent, dangerous and repetitive criminals
Robbery and Assault
1996
2006
INCREASE
Robbery
416
954
129%
Assault
1512
2122
40%
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Thomas Granillo
The prosecution of violent and dangerous
offenders is a high priority for the County
Attorney.
The County Attorney’s Office secures
convictions and sends a high rate of violent and
serious offenders to prison.
In 2006, more than 70% of all felony trials
involved a defendant charged with a violent crime.
The Violent Crime and Gang Team prosecutes
some of the most challenging and serious cases in
the County Attorney’s Office—cases like kidnapping,
assault, drive-by shooting, car jacking, robbery,
attempted murder, and murder. Maximum sentences
are sought to remove these violent offenders from
the community for as long as possible
Our prosecutors secured convictions in
over 90% of felony cases in 2006.
The prosecutors assigned to this team are
responsible for prosecuting some of Pima County’s
most violent, dangerous, predatory and repetitive
criminals, many with extensive felony histories and
backgrounds.
Thomas “Bernie” Granillo was a high-ranking member of Barrio Hollywood, one of Tucson’s
largest and most violent gangs. In October 2005, he confronted a 23 year old female victim and
her 3 year old son, pointed a gun to her head, forced her into her apartment, and threatened
to kill her and her son. He forced them to lie on the ground as he ransacked their house. After
stealing their meager possessions, he fled, threatening to kill them if she called the police. He was
arrested 11 days later and charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and first
degree burglary.
Two months before trial, “Bernie” began sending his fellow gang members to the victim’s
apartment to threaten her and her son. They told her they would kill her if she showed up to
court. She vacated her apartment and moved in with her parents. The threats continued. Her
parents became so fearful that they refused to allow her to stay.
A week before trial, terrified, alone, in danger, and with a young child, she came to the Pima
County Attorney’s Office. The PCAO Detectives, working side by side with the Tucson Police
Gang Unit, found her a new place to live and protected her throughout the trial.
The defendant, confident that his gang members had effectively suppressed her testimony,
rejected a plea and insisted on a trial. But he made one mistake. “Bernie” called his brother,
and fellow gang member, from the County Jail to make sure the victim would not appear in
court. The recorded call was obtained and used as evidence against him. The jury convicted him
on all counts, but fearful of the Barrio Hollywood gang members who had been present in the
courtroom, the jury members asked for security to escort them from the courthouse. The case
was prosecuted by Deputy County Attorney Michael Kelly. The defendant was sentenced to 21.5
years in prison by Judge Charles Sabalos.
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FIGHTING GANGS: Street gang activity fuels Pima County’s high crime rate
Pima County’s high crime rate is fueled in large
part by significant street gang activity. Whether
it involves drug dealing, graffiti, burglary or gun
violence, gang crime affects the entire community.
There are 4,000 documented gang members
and more than 200 gangs in Pima County.
The Gang Violence Trial Unit seeks maximum
impact on those gangs known for high recidivism and
disproportionately high rates of violence, particularly
firearms use. This team of experienced prosecutors
targets violent gang crime such as murder, attempted
murder, aggravated assault, drive-by shooting, rape,
and robbery.
Experienced prosecutors and investigators with
special training in the identification and prosecution
of criminal street gangs, and adept at dealing with
issues such as witness fear and intimidation, work
closely with law enforcement to proactively target
known gang members and prosecute them, even
for lesser violations in order to remove them from
the streets and to prevent more violent crimes
from happening. Additionally, gang members are
targeted through civil injunctions and abatements
in order to disrupt the gang activity.
Prosecutors also use special undercover
operations and injunctions to stop violence before it
occurs. We work closely with local law enforcement
and community organizations to develop programs
to keep kids out of gangs.
In 2006, police and prosecutors arrested
and prosecuted 195 gang members on
charges ranging from conspiracy and criminal
racketeering to drug trafficking, illegal
weapons possession and murder resulting in
193 convictions.
CASE
PROFILE:
State v. Narcisco
Kiko Reyes IV
In December
1997, Kiko Reyes
drove himself and
other gang members through a parking
lot at Southgate Plaza. A large passenger
van, full of nine teenagers, cut off Reyes’
car and parked. Some of the teenagers got
out of the van. Gang signs and words were
exchanged.
Using assault rifles, Reyes and two of
his passengers opened fire on the van and
teenagers. At least 21 bullets struck the
van. One 17-year old was killed. Six others
in the van were shot or injured in varying
degrees. A shopper happened to be driving
though the parking lot, and a stray bullet
passed through his windshield, narrowly
missing him.
Following Reyes’ arrest it was learned
that he was prohibited from possessing
firearms due to a previous conviction, yet he
had purchased all the assault rifles at a gun
show. For this crime he was prosecuted by
Deputy County Attorney Teresa Godoy on
charges of first degree murder, aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon, attempted
murder, and endangerment. He was
convicted in January 1999, and Judge
Kenneth Lee sentenced him to life in prison,
plus 10.5 years.
This case was the catalyst for the
County Attorney’s Office, TPD Gang Unit,
and Adult Probation to monitor sales of
firearms at gun shows.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Rodney
Eugene Rhodes
In August 2005,
Rodney Rhodes, a Western Hills gang
member, and three of his gang drove by
a house on East Lester. As they drove by,
the gang members in the car opened fire
on the adults outside.
Rhodes fired a shotgun multiple
times at the two men standing outside.
Six children and two elderly adults were
inside. The two victims ran to the back
of the house while Rhodes and the other
gang members in the car continued firing.
Trying to escape the barrage of gunfire,
the victims ran back to the front of the
house. Rhodes and the others then drove
around again to the front of the house
where more shots were fired.
Miraculously, no one was hit.
However, multiple gun shots sprayed
various rooms in the house occupied by
the family inside. Rhodes was charged
with two counts of attempted first degree
murder and aggravated assault, and 11
counts of endangerment and drive-by
shooting. He was prosecuted at trial by
Deputy County Attorney Teresa Godoy.
He was sentenced in April 2006 by Judge
Kenneth Lee to 23.25 years in prison.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
11
COMBATING GUN CRIMES: Since 2000, felony convictions for possession of illegal firearms have increased 158%
Gun Crimes Team
Gun related offenses continue to rise at
an alarming rate in Pima County. The County
Attorney’s Office places a high priority on
getting guns off the streets and out of the
hands of criminals using a specialized team
of prosecutors and tough, new charging and
sentencing policies.
In 2002, the first year of the
gun crimes team, there were 100
gun-related homicide charges
filed, 551 gun-related aggravated
assaults, 258 robberies and 269
charges of illegal possession of a
firearm.
In 2006, the number of filed
charges for illegal possession of
a weapon rose to 340, and the
number of convictions increased
by 25%.
Prosecutor Michael Kelly at work in the courtroom.
Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star photo reprinted by permission.
With the assistance of a federal grant in 2000, we
created a specialized gun crimes team of experienced,
trained and committed trial lawyers. As a result, more
offenders are convicted of gun crimes and sent to prison
for longer periods of time.
These guns were all seized during criminal
investigations by law enforcement.
If a crime is committed with
a gun, or if a convicted felon is
caught in possession of a weapon,
the offender must pay with a
felony conviction and prison time.
As a result of the focus of the
gun crimes team, by 2006, the
prosecutions for possession of an
illegal weapon increased 146%.
The number of defendants
sentenced to prison for illegal
weapons increased 68%. The
number of years they were sentenced
to prison increased by 101%.
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SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT: These are among the most complex, difficult, emotionally painful and disturbing crimes
Since 1996, the Special Victims Unit has
prosecuted more than 12,300 sex crimes and
crimes against children.
Sexual and physical abuse and violence against
adults and children are among the most difficult,
emotional, and disturbing crimes the County
Attorney’s Office prosecutes.
This Office is committed to pursuing
maximum sentences for predators and
protecting innocent victims from further
harm.
The Special Victims Unit is composed of highlytrained Deputy County Attorneys, Detectives,
and staff dedicated to the aggressive and just
prosecution of perpetrators of sexually-based
crimes affecting our most vulnerable victims, most
frequently, children, elderly, and women.
The crimes most often handled by this special
unit involve sexual assaults, stalking, domestic
violence, molestation, sexual and physical child
abuse, and animal cruelty.
In 2003, Deputy County Attorney Kathleen
Mayer represented the County Attorney’s office
on the Governor’s Advisory Commission for
Child Protective Services Reform which produced
recommendations that have statewide impact on
protecting children and maximizing the safety of
our community.
Susan Eazer, Supervisor of the Special Victims Unit, and Deputy County Attorney Bunkye Chi review a case. Susan is a
recipient of the Victim Advocacy Award from the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council.
Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement
(SAFE) Team
Since 1999, the Pima County Attorney’s Office
has been an active participant in this FBI-coordinated
program. A full-time County Attorney Detective is
assigned to this multi-agency task force.
In 2006, the Pima County Attorney’s Office
Detective assigned to the FBI’s SAFE team was
involved in six arrests, eight indictments and
the service of six search warrants. In addition,
this detective conducted 64 Internet safety
presentations to over 5,300 participants.
These presentations are designed to inform the
audience about how to protect children online while
using the Internet. The presentations were made to
parents, educators, students, and members of the
public.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
13
CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN: In 2006, the Special Victims unit prosecuted more than 950 crimes against children
Special Victims Unit prosecutors coordinate
their efforts with numerous other agencies, in
particular the Southern Arizona Children’s
Advocacy Center. At this forensic center, the
medical, psychological, and advocacy needs of
abused and exploited children are addressed
by professionals with specialized training in
interviewing and communicating with children and
dealing with victims of abuse. The Las Familias
Angel Center for Childhood Sexual Abuse
Treatment provides counseling and treatment to
address the needs of children victimized by sexual
and physical abuse.
In collaboration with law enforcement, medical,
and social services, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office created special protocols for the investigation
and prosecution of crimes affecting children. These
protocols provide a coordinated agency response
for the purpose of protecting child victims from
additional trauma during the investigation of the
crime, as well as to ensure evidence collection and
successful prosecution of offenders.
Deputy County Attorney Shawn Jensvold works in the Special Victims Unit where he prosecutes sex offenders. In
2006 he was nominated for the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council Excellence in Victim Advocacy
Award. He also has taught for the past three years at the University of Arizona’s summer Forensics DNA
Detectives Camp for high school students interested in forensic science.
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REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS AND SEXUALLY VIOLENT PERSONS: Failure to register as a sex offender is a felony offense
All convicted sex offenders must register with
the Sheriff’s Department. Failure to register is
a felony offense that is prosecuted by the Pima
County Attorney’s Office. Information regarding
where registered sex offenders reside by zip
code in Pima County is available online at the
Arizona Department of Public Safety website at
https://az.gov/webapp/offender/main.do.
Additionally, Arizona statutes authorize
prosecutors to initiate civil proceedings which
permit certain habitual violent sex predators to
be committed to the Arizona State Hospital upon
release from prison. The procedure is initiated by
our filing a petition alleging that the person is a
sexually violent person. Following a probable cause
hearing, a judge can order confinement for the
purpose of an evaluation. A trial then determines
whether the person meets the statutory definition
of a sexually violent person, with the state having
to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt to a
unanimous jury. If convicted, the person is confined
for treatment at the State Hospital until found by a
jury to be safe for release.
Our Office has sought the commitment
of 41 sexually violent predators, of which
19 have been committed. We did not begin
seeking commitments until late 1997 following
the U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Kansas v.
Hendricks, which held that such legislation is not
unconstitutional.
Deputy County Attorney Kathleen Mayer, Sex Crimes and Homicide Prosecutor was the 2006
recipient of the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council Excellence in Victim Advocacy
Award. In 1998 the Arizona State Bar honored Kathi for her work providing education and
training to prosecutors statewide; and, in 2001 the Arizona State Attorney General’s Office
named her the Outstanding Sexual Assault Prosecutor of the Year.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
ANIMAL ABUSE AND CRUELTY: It is wrong to inflict suffering on any living creature
The attorneys in the Special Victims Unit also
prosecute felony animal abuse and cruelty cases.
Animal cruelty is a particular concern for prosecutors
because not only is it wrong to inflict suffering on
any living creature, research shows that intentional
cruelty against animals often indicates that the
perpetrator either has already committed acts of
violence against people or may be predisposed to
committing other acts of violence against people.
Prosecutors in the County Attorney’s Office
actively participate in the Pima County Animal
Cruelty Task Force, created in 1999, which
coordinates animal protection efforts among law
enforcement, prosecutors, and community agencies.
CASE
PROFILE:
CASE
PROFILE:
State v. Zeon
Weirmire
State v.
Wayne Dean
In February
of 2006,
after an argument with his girlfriend,
Zeon Weirmire immersed her Jack
Russell terrier in a tub of scalding water.
Then he refused to allow his girlfriend
to seek veterinary care for her injured
and suffering pet. When she finally did
take the dog to a vet, out of fear of the
defendant, she lied about how her dog,
Ginger, received the injuries.
Weirmire was arrested on
misdemeanor assault, domestic violence,
and felony animal cruelty. At that time,
Ginger was still suffering. She could not
use her hind legs, and her hindquarters
and back had large patches of hairless,
reddened, and blistered skin. Weirmire,
who pled guilty to felony animal cruelty,
was prosecuted by Deputy County
Attorney Kathleen Mayer and sentenced
by Judge Richard Fields to serve 1.5 years
in prison. Ginger remains permanently
scarred from her ordeal but is otherwise
recovered and reunited with her owner.
When
his girlfriend
left him after years of his physical and
verbal abuse, Wayne Dean tortured
and repeatedly sexually assaulted a
greyhound named Otis. In February of
2006, officers with Pima Animal Control
and the Sheriff’s Department found an
emaciated Otis tied with an electrical cord
and without access to water. The cord
was so short he could not lie down. Otis
was also bleeding and had exposed bone
where his tail should have been.
Wayne Dean evaded capture by
law enforcement for months prior to
his eventual arrest. He ultimately pled
guilty to animal cruelty charges and was
prosecuted by Deputy County Attorney
Kathleen Mayer. On March 26, 2007,
after testimony from his ex-girlfriend and
the Pima Animal Control veterinarian,
Judge Howard Fell sentenced Dean to
three years in prison.
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16
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Violence in the home will not be tolerated
We seek to protect victims of abuse,
to eliminate the atmosphere of violence
to which minor children are exposed, and
to hold offenders accountable. To meet this
goal, prosecutors, victim advocates, and over 75
individuals representing 38 law enforcement,
government, and community agencies are working
together to develop a system-wide approach
to prevention, prosecution, treatment, and the
protection of battered children and their families.
Photo credit: http://child.cornell.edu/army/fap.html
The Pima County Attorney’s Office is
committed to fighting domestic violence at all
levels.
Violence in the home strikes at the heart
of a community and rips apart the fabric of our
society. Children who are abused, or who live in
homes where they witness abuse and battering,
carry the terrible lessons of violence into their
adulthood. Sadly, they are far more likely to engage
in delinquent behavior and to become either adult
abusers or victims themselves.
In 2006, Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall
organized a multi-agency collaborative Domestic
Violence Task Force.
You are not alone.
You are not to blame.
You did not “ask for it.”
You do not deserve to be hurt.
You have the right to be safe.
There is help.
Local 24 hour Crisis Lines
Brewster Center (520) 622-6347
Tucson Centers for Women and Children
(520) 795-8001
Committed to aggressive intervention in
domestic violence, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office has aggressively sought and been awarded
numerous grants that help us protect children who
witness and are subject to violence at home.
“Breaking the Cycle” was a three-year
grant-funded program from 2000-2003, utilizing
County Attorney Victim Witness Advocates and
Pima County Public Health Nurses. This program
provided targeted resources and focused on
children from birth to six years of age living in
identified high-risk areas who had been exposed
to violence in their home, or who showed violent
behavior in school.
“The Empower Project” in 2003
broadened the Victim Witness domestic violence
intervention efforts by providing at-the-scene ageappropriate crisis intervention and safety planning
for children witnessing or victimized by domestic
violence incidents where law enforcement was
called.
“Child and Adolescent Traumatic
Stress Services” This grant-funded program
began in 2005 as a Pima County Attorney’s
Office Victim Witness Program and Jewish Family
and Children’s Services collaboration to provide
intervention and counseling services to children and
their families who have been exposed to traumatic
or violent events.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
In 2006, the Pima County
Attorney’s Office prosecuted 214
defendants for felony domestic
violence offenses. We also
prosecuted 760 defendants for
misdemeanor domestic violence
and 320 juvenile defendants on
domestic violence charges.
CASE
PROFILE:
State v.
Antonio Valdez
Nicol Green is the
Deputy County
Attorney assigned
to the Domestic
Violence Court.
Based on a 2006 grant, all domestic violence misdemeanor offenses are now
consolidated for prosecution in one courtroom. From arraignment to sentencing,
defendants charged with misdemeanor domestic violence have their cases heard by
the same judge. This Domestic Violence Court ensures better courtroom efficiency,
better perpetrator accountability, and better victim safety.
In 2005, domestic violence almost
turned deadly when Antonio Valdez,
high on crack cocaine, brandished
a handgun and shot his live-in
girlfriend and the mother of his
children in the chest.
The bullet tore through the
victim’s arm, into her chest,
punctured her lung, and lodged near
her spine. Miraculously, she was not
paralyzed or killed and survived to
testify at trial.
The defendant, who had been
previously convicted of aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon against
this same victim, was prosecuted by
Deputy County Attorney Nicol Green
and sentenced by Judge Stephen
Villareal to 23.5 years in prison.
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18
NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS: Dangerous drug cases have increased 178% over the past ten years
Drug crime is a persistent problem in Pima
County. The Narcotics Unit works closely with
law enforcement officers to arrest major drug
traffickers, seize narcotics and dealer assets, and
get dealers off the streets.
Drug arrests have significantly increased in
recent years, resulting in a dramatic increase in
both the number of felony drug prosecutions
and the percentage of our caseload that these
cases comprise.
The County Attorney employs a number of
strategies to reduce drug crime in Pima County.
The combination of vigorous prosecution of
defendants who have been accused of drug
crimes, civil enforcement remedies, and allowing
appropriate defendants to enter drug treatment
as an alternative to incarceration, helps ensure
that justice is done. Through a careful screening
of defendants’ criminal histories and drug use, the
County Attorney’s Office seeks to identify those
individuals who might benefit from drug treatment
and become assets to their community.
Pima County Edward Byrne Drug
Prosecution Project: With the funds provided
by this program, the County Attorney’s Office
Narcotics and Dangerous
Drug Cases
1996
2006
Increase
Dangerous Drugs
319
899
178%
Narcotic Drugs
575
929
61.6%
provides prosecution and court litigation services
for all law enforcement agencies in Pima County
that make up Arizona’s portion of the federally
designated Southwest Border High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area (HIDTA), including the Tucson
Counter Narcotics Alliance Task Force, the Pima
County Sheriff’s Department narcotics units,
plus numerous federal agencies whose cases are
prosecuted in state court.
Project Objective: The purpose of the Byrne
Drug Prosecution Project is to review all felony
cases, prosecute felony cases, advise and assist in
targeting and investigating drug cases, provide
training to law enforcement agencies, and employ
RICO, money laundering and forfeiture statutes, to
obtain convictions.
Project Results: Since July 1991, this
project has concluded 18,342 cases, which
resulted in 14,661 felony and 403 misdemeanor
convictions, and a significant number of
forfeiture actions.
Number of
Drug Cases Concluded
Total
Number of Convictions
Felony
Number of Sentences
Prison
Jail with probation
Probation only
Total Value of Forfeitures
Of those convicted, 4,173 convicted drug
law violators were sent to prison, 2,406 received
jail time, and 7,969 have been placed on
probation.
In addition to the criminal felony
prosecution, in the same period of time, the
drug prosecution project has obtained more
than $50 million in assets seized from and
forfeited by criminals.
FY 2004
960
FY 2005
1,409
FY 2006
1,764
825
1,253
1,602
167
100
438
$4,588,749
219
200
656
$5,141,954
656
223
1,093
$2,522,000
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
THE METHAMPHETAMINE EPIDEMIC: “Speed … Meth … Chalk … Crystal … Ice … Glass … Crank”
Property Crimes have significantly increased over the past decade, due in large part to the meth epidemic.
This series of photos graphically illustrates the deterioration of a methamphetamine user over the course of 10 years. Photo provided by DEA.
“In the City of Tucson, 66% of all
burglaries, 56% of auto thefts, 27%
of violent crimes are meth related.”
Captain David Neri
Tucson Police Department
May 2006
Methamphetamine is an illegal drug that has
long lasting and toxic effects on the central nervous
system. It has a high potential for abuse and
addiction.
Meth is a significant threat to the health
and safety of all citizens of Pima County.
The production, distribution, and use of
methamphetamine has become pervasive and
combating this insidious crisis requires complex
and comprehensive solutions. In Pima County,
the methamphetamine epidemic has resulted in
significant increases in property crime.
In 2004, 600 children in Pima County were
removed by the courts from their homes because of
meth-related abuse and neglect.
Approximately 80% of the
Attorney General’s dependent
child cases are meth-related.
The 2006 National Drug
Threat Survey reported that
methamphetamine was the
drug that most contributed
to property crime and violent
crime. Most methamphetaminerelated property crime, such
as burglary, identity theft,
and larceny, is committed by
methamphetamine abusers,
while most methamphetaminerelated violent crime, such as
armed robbery, assault, and
homicide, is committed by
methamphetamine distributors
in the course of drug trafficking
operations.
Locations of Meth operations shut down by police between 2000 and 2006.
19
20
FIGHTING THE DRUG EPIDEMIC: Innovative prosecution techniques are used
The County Attorney uses innovative
and unique prosecution techniques
to confront the methamphetamine
epidemic
Since 1996, our Office has actively collaborated
with the Counter Narcotics Alliance, a multiagency task force which includes the federal Drug
Enforcement Agency, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Agency, the Arizona Department of
Public Safety, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department,
the Tucson Police Department, and other local law
enforcement agencies.
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall
and her staff work closely with these agencies
to develop new strategies to expose drug
traffickers and their criminal activity and to hold
them accountable.
One such method involves using investigative
wiretaps and the state anti-racketeering laws
created to combat organized crime to successfully
prosecute multiple defendants in a single case.
This unique targeting strategy results in
meth cells and criminal drug enterprises being
closed down. After conviction, members of the
organization are usually sentenced to lengthy prison
terms.
CASE PROFILE:
The Greenwell-Owens Meth Cell
Over a period of three years, the Pima County Attorney’s Narcotics and Property Unit,
working closely with the Counter Narcotics Alliance investigated, arrested, then prosecuted
the Greenwell-Owens methamphetamine cell, a large-scale criminal racketeering enterprise
operating in a midtown neighborhood. The drug production and sales operation run by
Timothy Owens and Donna Greenwell plagued the neighborhood for years with multiple
burglaries, property crimes and identity thefts, as well as numerous drug crimes. Owens and
Greenwell were indicted along with 39 other defendants in August 2005.
Records seized by police showed that in just one seven-month period, the group sold
more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine for $245,000 in cash and in trade for tools, guns,
cars, and other stolen property valued at $200,000.
Deputy County Attorneys Richard Wintory and Chris Ward prosecuted the case, and Pima
County Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank sentenced Owens to a mix of concurrent
and consecutive 25 year sentences. Greenwell pled guilty to all of the 16 charges brought
against her in the indictment.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
GOVERNOR’S METHAMPHETAMINE TASK FORCE: Pima County leads the state
Governor’s Meth Task Force
In August 2006, Pima County Attorney
Barbara LaWall was appointed by Governor
Janet Napolitano to chair the statewide Arizona
Methamphetamine Task Force.
Governor Napolitano charged the Task
Force with developing a comprehensive strategic
action plan to tackle the state’s growing
methamphetamine problem. The Governor
requested identifiable and specific action-oriented
recommendations that would address prevention
and reduction of meth use, treatment and
rehabilitation, interdiction, and enforcement.
In the spring of 2007, the Task Force
published its ten priority recommendations
and proposed a strategic plan for Arizona to
address the methamphetamine epidemic. It can
be found on the Governor’s webpage at www.
governor.state.az.us.
Meth Free Alliance
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall is
a member of the Meth Free Alliance, a group
of law enforcement, prevention and treatment
professionals, neighborhood citizens, and faithbased organizations working together to combat the
methamphetamine epidemic in Pima County. If you
would like to help in Pima County’s fight against
methamphetamine, please contact the Meth Free
Alliance at www.meth-free-alliance.org.
Governor Janet Napolitano and Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall, chair of the Arizona Methamphetamine Task
Force, announce the statewide report and recommendations.
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22
FORFEITURE: Forfeiture is an effective and powerful strategy in the fight against crime
Deputy County Attorney Tom Rankin is Supervisor of the
Pima County Attorney’s Office Asset Forfeitures Unit. He also
serves in a statewide capacity as the co-chair of the Arizona
Forfeiture Association and Vice Chair of the Arizona Law
Enforcement Coordinating Committee’s Asset Forfeiture
Subcommittee.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Criminal
Division is responsible for the coordination,
direction, and oversight of Pima County’s asset
forfeiture program. By statute the Pima County
Attorney is the fiduciary agent for the participating
law enforcement agencies.
The lawyers in this unit are responsible for
the prosecution of both criminal and civil actions
against property used or acquired during illegal
activity. They handle civil and criminal litigation,
provide legal support to the prosecutors in the
narcotics unit, develop forfeiture policies and
procedures, administer the equitable sharing
of assets, and provide training seminars for law
enforcement.
At the time of arrest or when a search warrant
is being executed, law enforcement is authorized to
seize the proceeds of criminal activity.
After seizure, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office takes legal action to forfeit the seized
property. This includes items such as vehicles, guns,
cell phones, scales, and even houses.
Since 2000, more than $27 million in seized
money and property has been forfeited by
Superior Court. By law, forfeited funds are
returned to law enforcement to assist and help
offset the cost of additional investigations.
In 2006, property forfeited by criminal
offenders in Pima County included 221
vehicles, 54 guns, and 7 houses.
The total value of the forfeitures in fiscal
year 2006 was more than $2.5 million.
Police dog with cache of money and drugs.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Maria
Dominguez
At the conclusion
of a 2004 investigation
and criminal
prosecution that
brought down the
Maria Dominguez marijuana trafficking
ring, the Pima County Attorney’s Office
brought a civil asset forfeiture action.
The forfeiture action included the
following seizures of assets from the
criminal enterprise:
• 31 properties in Tucson and Phoenix,
valued at $6.4 million
• 59 vehicles valued at $532,500
• $211,000 in cash and $111,000 in
other assets
The total value of the property seized was
$10 million
The forfeiture of the criminal
syndicate’s assets has the power
to disrupt and dismantle the entire
organization in a way that cripples it and
makes it unable to function.
This does not occur if we limit our
legal action to prosecution and conviction
of the individuals without the forfeiture of
the syndicate’s criminally obtained assets.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
PROPERTY CRIMES: ID theft has been called the fastest growing crime in America
Identity theft is America’s fastest
growing crime
It can involve credit card fraud, Internet fraud,
or mail theft, among other crimes. Identity theft
is defined as stealing another person’s personal
identification information and using it for personal
gain. Identity theft is not typically a “stand-alone”
crime but, rather, part of another crime such as
credit card fraud.
Roberies, burglaries and auto
thefts continue to increase
In 1996, there were 416 robbery charges filed
In 2006, there were 954 robbery charges filed
An increase of 129%
In 1996, there were 1,098 burglary charges filed
In 2006, there were 1,707 burglary charges filed
An increase of 55.5%
In 1996, there were 1,055 theft charges filed
In 2006, there were 1,636 theft charges filed
An increase of 55.1%
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Crothers, Brittain, Collins, and Kempton
In April 2006, the Tucson Police Department
received a tip from a woman who reported that
her granddaughter and boyfriend had been using
the computer to “make up stuff.” Police detectives
executed a search warrant and seized a computer,
software, identification cards, receipts, and
forged blank checks. Investigation identified four
individuals working together who were responsible
for an array of crimes, including theft, forgery,
fraud, and identity theft. Four victims of this identity
theft ring had their financial identities used in
several interrelated crimes.
Victim #1 had mail stolen that contained a
check. The thieves created counterfeit checks using
a fictitious name but with the account number
from the stolen check.
Victim #2 had mail stolen and the thieves
created checks with the name of a fictitious
business, but with Victim #2’s account number.
Victim #3, whose driver’s license had been stolen, had forged checks made payable to
her which then were cashed by the thieves using the stolen driver’s license as identification.
Victim #4, a business, had mail stolen, and checks were forged in the name of two
fictitious businesses and Victim #4. These checks were passed at several retail businesses in
exchange for goods valued at over $3,000.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy County Attorney Joseph H. Buescher, Jr. Members
of the identity theft ring, J.A. Crothers, J.L. Brittain, D.B. Collins, and P.L. Kempton, pled
guilty to the charges and received sentences from Judge Howard Fell varying from four years
of probation to four years in prison.
23
24
AUTO THEFT: In 2006, there were 9,592 auto thefts reported in Pima County
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Fredy Garcia
Victoria Otto, Deputy County Attorney assigned to the
Property Unit, prosecutes offenses involving auto theft.
In 2006 in Arizona, there
were 53,654 vehicles
reported stolen. Eighteen
percent (9,592) of these
reported auto thefts
occurred in Pima
County.
In one three
month period in 2006,
defendant Fredy Garcia,
an active, habitual car
thief, stole more than 40
cars.
Through the work
of the multi-agency Auto Theft Task Force in
conjunction with a prosecutor from the Pima
County Attorney’s Office, Garcia was finally
caught.
He was prosecuted by Deputy County
Attorney Victoria Otto and convicted by the
jury. Judge Frank Dawley sentenced him to
seven years in prison, and he was ordered to
pay $15,000 in restitution.
Stolen vehicles are often driven across
the United States border into Mexico,
stripped by chop shops, and re-sold as
parts. Sometimes they are also driven back
across the border, re-tagged, and re-sold to
unsuspecting consumers.
Stolen vehicles are frequently used
to facilitate other criminal acts such as
residential and commercial burglaries,
robberies, check and credit card fraud,
identity theft, illegal drug and human
trafficking, and drive-by shootings.
PREVENT AUTO THEFT … LOCK
YOUR CAR. TAKE YOUR KEYS.
In Arizona a vehicle theft occurs every 9
minutes and 54 seconds.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office,
in conjunction with the Arizona Auto Theft
Authority, a statewide task force, has targeted
auto theft rings throughout Pima County and
has been involved in education about and
prevention of auto thefts in the community.
Cars line up for VIN etching,
and anti theft program, Deputy
County Attorney Victoria Otto is
at car with clipboard.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
VEHICULAR UNIT: This unit prosecutes D.U.I.s and auto thefts
Top 10 Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles
for 2006 in Arizona
1. 1991 Honda Accord
6. 1998 Dodge Neon
2. 1995 Honda Civic
7. 1997 Ford F150 Series
3. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
8. 1994 Saturn SL
4. 1994 Nissan Sentra
9. 1997 Nissan Altima
5. 1995 Chevrolet Full Size
C/K 1500 Pickup
10. 1994 Jeep Cherokee/Grand
Cherokee
Malena Acosta is the Deputy County Attorney who works
with the Tucson Police Department on “bait” car auto
theft cases.
CASE PROFILE:
State v. Tony Tillis
Deputy County Attorney Bruce Chalk, Vehicular Unit Supervisor, joins law enforcement
officers at a DUI checkpoint. The organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
presented Bruce with the Excellence in Adjudication Award in 2006.
Police officers left a truck as
“bait” in a commercial area where
a number of vehicles had been stolen. Keys were purposely left
in the vehicle. Police had remote control over the ignition, and
cameras and microphones were placed to record any activity near
the “bait” vehicle. Tony Tillis approached the truck, reached in,
took the cell phone and other personal items. He then got into
an argument with two other nearby suspects over who was going
to steal the truck. At that point, a plainclothes officer approached
the vehicle and said, “You have my stuff.” Tillis offered to sell
it back to the cop for $20. Tillis was then arrested for theft and
burglary as everything had been captured by the video camera and
microphone. His case was tried by Deputy County Attorney Malena
Acosta. Tillis was found guilty and sentenced by Judge Barbara
Sattler to 2.5 years in prison.
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26
APPELLATE UNIT: Handles appeals from trial court decisions
The Appeals Unit drafts and argues appeals, researches and drafts complex motions and responses and
files them in Superior Court. The Unit writes many other motions and memoranda for busy trial attorneys and
performs legal research when unique issues arise during trial. Appellate attorneys also conduct trainings several
times a year for both misdemeanor and felony trial attorneys and participate in initial appearances and felony
court division coverage. They also supervise the law clerks and maintain a central law library for the office.
In 2006, the Appellate Unit represented the state at least 17 times before the Arizona Supreme
Court and 27 times in the Court of Appeals.
Deputy County Attorney Jacob Lines and former Deputy County Attorney Taren Ellis discussing a legal issue.
CASE PROFILE:
Garcia v. Browning
In 2004, David Garcia was charged
with murder. In 2006, the Arizona State
Legislature changed the self-defense
statute, and Garcia argued that the
changes should apply retroactively to
his case. The Pima County Attorney‘s
Appellate Unit responded that they
should not. The case went to the
Arizona Court of Appeals, which decided
in favor of the defendant. The Pima
County Attorney’s Office appealed this
decision. Ultimately, Arizona Supreme
Court unanimously reversed the Court
of Appeals, adopting much of the Pima
County Attorney’s position.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
27
MISDEMEANOR CRIMES: Justice Court prosecutors’ caseloads are double what they were 10 years ago
CASE PROFILE:
State vs. Terry Lynn O’Dell, et al.
The Pima County Attorney’s
Misdemeanor Unit, in conjunction with
the Appeals Unit, successfully responded
to a legal attack on the Intoxilyzer
5000 breath instrument used in DUI
investigations. In the year 2000, over 250
defendants appealed their DUI citations
to the Arizona Court of Appeals.
The issues dealt with allegations that
the police improperly failed to retain data
of past tests that the instrument had
recorded. Attorneys for the defendants
argued that this failure should result in
the dismissal of all cases in which the
Intoxilyzer 5000 had been used to obtain
the breath sample.
The Pima County Attorney’s position
prevailed, and the Court of Appeals
determined that the procedures used
by law enforcement were proper and
reinstated all cases. As a result, more
than 250 DUI cases had to be refiled and
prosecuted.
The Pima County Attorney’s Misdemeanor Unit
prosecutes crimes that occur in the unincorporated
areas of Pima County, including Green Valley and
Ajo. These crimes are prosecuted in Pima County
Justice Court and are punishable by incarceration
for up to one year in the county jail rather than
prison. These offenses include, among other crimes,
first offense driving while under the influence,
domestic violence, theft, cruelty to animals, simple
assault, trespassing, shoplifting, issuing a bad
check, and disorderly conduct.
The total number of misdemeanor cases
prosecuted in Pima County Justice Court has
more than tripled over the past decade, and
prosecutors’ caseloads have doubled.
Ten years ago, in 1996, our Office prosecuted
more than 10,000 misdemeanor cases. Five
misdemeanor prosecutors handled approximately
2,000 cases each.
In 2006, the prosecutors assigned to the Justice
Court Misdemeanor Unit prosecuted more than
25,000 cases. These eight prosecutors handled
more than 3,200 cases each.
In 2006, the Justice Court attorneys closed
more than 11,000 cases. They resolved 580 with
trials to the court and 114 with trials to a jury.
CASE
PROFILE:
State vs. James
Runyon
The defendant and victim had
been involved in a long-running
neighborhood dispute that resulted in a
number of criminal charges being filed.
Deputy County Attorney Jesse Delaney
prosecuted Runyon for harassment in an
incident where the defendant was video
taped standing on his roof while shouting
obscenities and making obscene gestures
to the victim who was standing in his
back yard.
The defendant was convicted in a
bench trial and sentenced to 180 days
in jail with 90 days suspended and two
years supervised probation.
New Deputy County Attorneys: Vince George (Misdemeanors), Theresa
Sheridan (Misdemeanors), Erica Cornejo (Misdemeanors), Troy Larkin (Civil),
Jody Corrales (Civil), Julie Glendinning (Misdemeanors), Robin Schwartz
(Vehicular), Anita Simons (Misdemeanors).
28
JUVENILE UNIT: The County Attorney’s Office has a balanced and restorative justice approach to juvenile justice
The Supervisor of the Juvenile Unit is Deputy County
Attorney Peter Hochuli. He also serves as the chair of the
statewide Juvenile Prosecutors Work Group under the
Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council.
The goals of the Juvenile Justice Prosecution
Unit are to reduce juvenile crime, serve crime
victims, hold juvenile offenders accountable, repair
the harm experienced by victims and communities,
and develop the resources for offenders and
communities to make juvenile offenders more
responsible, productive citizens to reduce the risk of
their re-offending.
Approximately 10,000 juvenile cases are
presented by law enforcement for prosecution
each year.
The Juvenile Unit of the Pima County Attorney’s
Office prosecutes both felonies and misdemeanors
committed by youth under 18 years of age. Ten
Deputy County Attorneys review, issue, and
prosecute cases that range from serious felonies
such as robberies, burglaries, sexual assaults,
and assaults with weapons to lesser misdemeanor
crimes. Although the number of juvenile referrals
has remained relatively steady over the past decade,
the types of offenses have changed. The number
of juvenile violent and property crime arrests has
decreased, while the number of juvenile drug arrests
has significantly increased.
Each full-time juvenile prosecutor has an
average case load of 120 cases and reviews
75 to 125 cases per month. All physical arrests
of juveniles must be reviewed and issued within
24 hours of detainment which requires attorney
reviews 365 days a year.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
29
S.M.A.R.T. PROGRAM: Deputy County Attorneys lead teams in 55 Pima County schools
The School Multi-Agency Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.) is an innovative
collaboration of the Pima County Attorney’s Office, Pima County school districts,
local law enforcement, and juvenile probation. The program assists schools in
preventing and detecting crime and providing special services to identified, atrisk juveniles.
This collaborative school-based program was created and initiated in
1997 by County Attorney Barbara LaWall.
Juvenile prosecutors are assigned to individual school districts and schools.
A multi-disciplinary team meets at each school site twice a month. During these
sessions, the S.M.A.R.T. team determines a plan for each identified at-risk juvenile
at that school with emphasis on school attendance, compliance with counseling
plans and adherence to probation and parole requirements.
S.M.A.R.T.’s goal is to create safe school environments and foster zerotolerance anti-gang efforts, while promoting positive alternatives for youth.
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall believes our children are our future.
The Juvenile Unit is comprised of ten attorneys who handle all juvenile cases including
adoptions. Second row: Scott Christensen, Murdock Holloway, Peter Hochuli, James
Coughlin, Dale Cardy. Front row: Kate Rudersdorf, Ellen Brown, Barbara Gelband, Grace
Atwell, and Kara Crosby.
Adoptions
The Juvenile Division helps families file and finalize adoptions by providing
free legal adoption services to prospective adoptive parents. This service is
provided at no cost for step-parent adoptions and grandparent adoptions
as well as adoptions through Child Protective Services and other adoption
agencies.
30
88-CRIME and “TUCSON’S MOST WANTED”: 24 hour tipline and a TV show serving justice
and indictment. The reward program is funded,
maintained, and operated by a private non-profit
Board of Directors and managed by Program
Director Gary Dahmers. No taxpayer dollars are
used to pay rewards. Calls are not recorded or
traced, and the caller does not have to give a name.
Thanks to anonymous tips from callers, 88CRIME has helped take a host of murderers, child
molesters, armed robbers, burglars, and drug
dealers off the streets.
The Pima County Attorney’s anonymous tip line
has partnered with KOLD TV-13 and the Arizona
Daily Star to ask for help in bringing an unsolved
case to the public each week in the newspaper and
on the TV show, “Tucson’s Most Wanted.”
88-CRIME Program Director Gary Dhaemers manages
the hotline program for anonymous crime tips.
From January 1985
through March 2007:
88-CRIME helps make Tucson and
southern Arizona a safer place to live
and work.
Since this program began in 1980, tips to
88-CRIME have been responsible for more than
4,252 felony arrests and more than $96 million
in recovered stolen property and seized illegal
narcotics.
Then: In 1996, the 88-CRIME tip line was
open only during office hours.
Now: Today, 88-CRIME’s five employees
field 800 to 1,200 calls per month, and the
hotline operates 24 hours a day. The call load
has doubled in just the last five years. 88-CRIME
callers may be eligible for a cash reward of up to
$1,000 if the information given results in an arrest
Rebecca Ramsey, 16-year old murder victim
(photo provided by family).
•
•
•
•
•
Arrests ...................................................4,294
Cases Cleared ...................................... 4,397
Rewards Approved ..................... $1,147,150
Property Recovered ................ $16,938,859
Narcotics Seized .......................$80,771,606
CASE PROFILE:
The Pima County Attorney’s 88-CRIME
hotline helped police solve the cold case
murder of 16-year-old Rebecca Ramsey.
In October of 2000, Rebecca was shot
and killed on her front lawn as she arrived
home from a church meeting. A tip to 88CRIME resulted in the 2006 identification
and arrest of the defendant who is
awaiting trial.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
BAD CHECK PROGRAM: We are the number one Bad Check Program in the nation
In 1996, the Pima County Attorney’s Office Bad Check
Program opened its doors with a handful of merchants and
recovered $20,000 in its first three months of operation.
Since its inception in 1996, the County Attorney’s Bad
Check Program has returned more than $8.1 million to
victims.
Dear Ms. LaWall,
I would like to thank you
and the staff of the bad check
program. It was refreshing to
be handled in a friendly and
professional manner. You should
be proud of yourself and the
people you have working for you.
I will admit I was skeptical
at first, but I found the people
I talked with, as well as your
website, extremely helpful. Our
company was having no success
collecting on a bad check.
Director of the Bad Check
Program, David McDonald,
has operated the program
since 1996. The Bad
Check Program is free of
charge to anyone in Pima
County who receives a bad
check.
When we did finally turn
everything over to your office it
was collected and we were paid
within 45 days. I think that is
extraordinary.
Please continue helping
individuals and businesses.
Unfortunately they will need it.
Richard Stringer, Office Manager
Southwest Fuel Care
For information on the Bad Check Program, call 740-4100 or visit www.pcao.pima.gov
31
32
COMMUNITY PROSECUTION: The Pima County Attorney’s Office tackles crime with innovative programs
Brad Holland is the Deputy County Attorney for Neighborhood
Protection. He works with landlords, neighborhood
associations and property owners to improve the safety and
appearance of our community
No community can just arrest and prosecute
its way out of a crime problem. County
Attorney Barbara LaWall recognizes that the
prosecutor’s office must utilize and rely on a
more creative and strategic approach to crime
prevention.
As a result, the Pima County Attorney’s Office
collaborates in a pro-active, preventative fashion
with law enforcement, business, schools, and
neighborhoods to keep crime from happening. This
is Community Prosecution. It is a strategy started in
the Pima County Attorney’s Office in 1997, and one
that has a significant impact when integrated as
part of an over-all crime reduction strategy.
From hate crimes to graffiti and shoplifting,
the Office works closely with neighborhoods to
hold offenders accountable.
The County Attorney’s Office has made
numerous reforms to safeguard our neighborhoods
and address crimes that
erode our quality of life.
By marshaling the full
range of tools and resources
available to prosecutors
as increasing crime and
violence threaten the wellbeing of our community,
the County Attorney’s
Office seeks innovative
ways to fight and prevent
crime in our schools, in our
neighborhoods, and in our
community.
By eliminating neighborhood scenes like this, the Pima County Attorney’s Office discourages crime and improves
neighborhoods.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION: Driving the criminals out
Criminal Evictions Program. The Pima
County Attorney’s Office is committed to crime-free
neighborhoods, and we have a new way to help
neighborhoods that suffer from criminal activity.
Criminal activity on rental property is grounds to
evict tenants. Our Office works with landlords to
help them remove tenants who break the law.
This program helps improve the quality of life in
our neighborhoods by offering criminal eviction
information, assistance, and training to landlords,
neighborhood associations, interested individuals,
and organizations.
Because of the Pima County Attorney’s
Neighborhood Protection efforts, in conjunction
with landlords and law enforcement, there are
approximately 100 criminal evictions in Pima
County each month.
Renters who act irresponsibly can be evicted.
CASE PROFILE:
Parker Suites, 208 East Prince Road, site of over 60 criminal evictions
For years, the Parker Suites rented its apartments by the week. It was a center for drugs, crime
and prostitution activities. Pimps and drug dealers operated freely from the apartments, located
across the street from a local public school.
In late 2006, two armed robbery suspects were apprehended in their apartments at the Parker
Suites. Tucson Police contacted the Pima County Attorney’s Office regarding these defendants and
an alarming spike in 911 calls from the apartment complex.
Visits to the Parker Suites complex by Tucson Police, as well as visits by Deputy County
Attorneys Brad Holland and Tom Rankin, from Neighborhood Protection and Forfeitures,
confirmed that the on-site managers were either ignoring the problems, or possibly participating
in the illegal activities. The prosecutor for Neighborhood Protection from the Pima County
Attorney’s Office located the out-of-state property owner and informed him of the liabilities of
rental property owners for the criminal and nuisance behavior of their tenants.
A month later the property owner, the property managers, Pima County prosecutors, and
ranking law enforcement officers met on-site to discuss and observe the ongoing problems. The
owner was presented with documentation of on-site crimes, and was again informed of the
consequences for non-compliance with the law.
The owner took immediate action. The old managers were terminated, and new managers
were hired. Security guards were hired for 24-hour on-site protection. The owner funded a
cleanup and quiet-down campaign, and coordinated extensive capital improvements.
As a result, law enforcement calls dropped by 80% in the first 30 days. Over 60 criminal
evictions were completed within the first three months. Since then, calls for service have been
minimal. The entire property has been refurbished, and Parker Suites is now a good neighbor
and a community asset.
33
34
NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION: Safe streets … safe homes …
Since 1998, a Deputy County Attorney
has been assigned to specifically handle
Neighborhood Protection. This prosecutor helps
neighborhoods identify problems and attract
appropriate community resources to the solution.
Deputy County Attorney Brad Holland attends
neighborhood and homeowners’ meetings
to coordinate the efforts of neighbors, law
enforcement, schools and city/county agencies. As
the assigned Neighborhood Prosecutor, he works
with neighborhoods, and community associations
to help prevent and reduce crime and improve the
quality of life in their community.
A comprehensive, multi-faceted approach
is the most effective way to abate the effects
of crime, drugs, blight, and even barking dogs.
Community members and neighbors develop
new skills for self-help; city and county employees
learn more about the areas they serve; and Pima
County becomes safer, cleaner, and quieter one
neighborhood at a time.
Neighborhood Protection is ongoing. The Pima
County Attorney’s Office currently has over 50 open
files on properties within Pima County.
BEFORE (top) and AFTER photos of a
neighborhood nuisance caused by a meth
house.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
35
VICTIM WITNESS: Helping victims and guaranteeing victims’ rights
Director of the Victim Witness Program, Kent Burbank,
who was hired in spring of 2007, brings a strong
background in community services and victim advocacy
to the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office Victim
Witness Program responds to the needs of crime
victims, witnesses, and their families by providing onscene, crisis intervention and court assistance helping
victims of crime through the criminal justice system.
As the first program in the country to assist
victims and witnesses at crime scenes, our
staff and volunteers pioneered many of the
intervention techniques now used worldwide.
In 1996, the Victim Witness Program had been
in existence for two decades and was nationally
recognized for comprehensive victim assistance.
A decade later, in 2006, Pima County
Attorney’s Victim Witness Program continues in
the national spotlight. Our Victim Witness Program
was recently commended by the Arizona Attorney
General for outstanding and continuous service to
victims. We are the only office in the state with a
process in place to respond individually to all victims
who contact our office or express concern with
victim services.
Over the past ten years more than 2,200
victims of crime have been served by our Victim
Witness Program.
The Victim Witness Program is unique in its use
of trained community members in crisis response
teams.
We are also the only victim services program in
the nation to train and use community volunteers
to provide immediate crisis intervention services at
crime scenes. Our staff and volunteer emergency
response teams assisted victims of the Oklahoma
City Federal Office building bombing in 1995,
assisted victims of war and genocide in Bosnia in
1996, worked with victims of the terrorist attacks in
New York City following 9/11, and assisted victims
in crisis in Florida in 2004 and again in 2005 in the
aftermath of hurricanes. And our program provided
crisis response services to the University of Arizona
student and faculty witnesses after the 2002
shooting at the College of Nursing.
Victim Witness Crisis Advocates respond to
approximately 1,500 crisis calls per year, more
than 15,000 calls during the last 10 years.
Twenty-five victim advocates
and more than 100 community
volunteers are on duty 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
and respond to police calls
for victim assistance.
Crime Victims’ Rights
Victims have the right to be
present at all court proceedings,
the right to express opinions to
the court and the right to confer
with the prosecutor regarding
the disposition of the case.
Victims have the right to know
of the defendant’s release status.
The Victim Witness Program, in
conjunction with the prosecutors
in the office, ensures these rights
are enforced.
Victim Witness volunteers Annie Roepke and Kelli
Micheletti at a training session. Every volunteer goes
through an initial training of 12 weeks followed by
further comprehensive training and a mentoring period
before they begin to work in crisis response.
36
HELPING VICTIMS: Victim advocates and volunteers respond to crime scenes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Crisis Team Advocates provide on-scene
crisis response to help victims, witnesses, and
family members deal with the emotional impact
of a sudden and tragic event. Victims and family
members learn effective ways to deal with their fear,
anger, confusion and, ultimately, become survivors.
Advocates also provide information and referrals
to community resources. Even today, we receive
feedback from individuals who, in a time of need,
were served by a Victim Witness Advocate years ago.
Court Team Advocates serve victims and
witnesses by keeping them informed of the
progress of their case. They assist with scheduling
needs for court appearances, inform victims of
avenues for financial
restitution and property
return, and empower
victims to provide
prosecutors with input
before plea negotiations.
Court Team Advocates
also accompany victims
and family members to
trial, provide information
about the legal process,
and offer emotional
support.
The Victim Compensation Unit helps victims
seek reimbursement. This program helps victims
cover the unexpected costs associated with being
the victim of a crime.
In the past 10 years, more than $6 million
in compensation has been awarded to victims
to help cover their cost of medical or mental
health needs, as well as lost wages and funeral
expenses.
Victim Witness
Crisis Volunteers – 2006
Number of Volunteers ....................... 100+
Number of Victim Contacts ........... 14,411
Number of Hours Worked .............. 15,893
Savings to Taxpayers ................ $166,000+
Drawing of Hurricane Katrina by a child victim who experienced the storm,
August 29, 2005.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
TARGETING GUN VIOLENCE AND PROMOTING GUN SAFETY: Working with pediatricians and schools
Communities Addressing
Responsible Gun Ownership
(CARGO)
CARGO is a collaboration of the Pima County
Attorney’s Office and law enforcement to prevent
unintentional and impulsive shootings by providing
training on safe gun storage and handling, as
well as responsible parenting as it relates to gun
ownership.
THEN: In 1996, there was no gun safety
program in Pima County.
NOW: More than 14,000 participants have
attended CARGO presentations. During 2006, 59
presentations were given to 1,689 participants
in schools and community organizations.
Lock Up Your Gun Campaign
Doctors, clinics, and local hospitals work with
the County Attorney’s Office to keep our kids safe
from gun injuries.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office provides
local doctors, clinics, and hospitals with free gun
locks and informational brochures and safety
information on the proper ways to secure and
handle firearms. Doctors promote firearm safety
and distribute free gun locks to patients who have
firearms in their homes. This public service program
educates parents with young children on the
importance of firearm safety.
In 2006, through the Lock Up Your
Gun Campaign, the Pima County
Attorney’s Office has distributed
more than 15,000 free gun locks.
37
38
YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS: County Attorney programs keep kids in school and help them avoid crime
Abolish Chronic Truancy Now
(ACT Now)
Recognizing that today’s truant may be
tomorrow’s criminal, and that chronic truancy
is a predictor of future criminal behavior, Pima
County Attorney Barbara LaWall is dedicated to
returning truant students to school to increase
their potential for life success.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office
works in partnership with the Center for
Juvenile Alternatives, law enforcement, school
administrators, teachers, parents, and students to
intervene at the very beginning of the truancy cycle.
In 1996, rising truancy rates necessitated the
establishment of a program to address chronic
truancy. Barbara LaWall initiated and developed
ACT Now, a truancy enforcement
program that ensures a truant student
and his/her family, that instead of
being prosecuted, he/she is first
offered a diversion program. ACT Now
includes parent and student referrals
to counseling and educational and
parenting skills programs. The County
Attorney cites and prosecutes parents
as a last resort.
In 2006, the County Attorney’s
Office referred approximately 350
truancy cases to the Center for
Juvenile Alternatives. The Pima
County Attorney’s Office cited
and prosecuted 72 parents and
conducted three truancy sweeps
resulting in the arrest of 112 truants
and seven parents.
Tucson Police Officer with truant caught
in a Pima County Attorney’s Office
Truancy sweep.
Nine out of ten
Arizona prison inmates
were chronic truants during
their school years.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
39
COMMUNITY JUSTICE BOARDS: An innovative community strategy to hold juvenile offenders accountable
Community Justice Boards, created and
initiated in 1998 by County Attorney Barbara
LaWall, require non-violent juvenile offenders
to accept responsibility for their criminal
conduct through interaction with victims and
neighborhood residents.
Community Justice Boards consist of
community volunteers from a defined geographic
area. They conduct family conferences with the
referred juvenile, his/her parent or guardian, and
the victim.
The family conference provides a forum
for the juvenile to admit to the offense, accept
responsibility, and gives victims a voice. Board
members assign consequences such as restitution,
community service, apology letters, and attendance
at educational programs designed to build skills,
competency and reduce truancy.
In 2006, the Community Justice Board
Program handled more than 350 cases, with a
90% compliance rate and a 93% parental and
juvenile satisfaction rate.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office
has established 10 separate neighborhood
Community Justice Boards. Over 75
neighborhood volunteers hold juvenile
offenders accountable to the
victims of their offenses
and to the communities in
which they live.
Community Justice
Board volunteers have
provided over 5,856
volunteer hours.
KGUN Channel 9’s anchorman Guy Atchley and Pima County Attorney’s Community Justice Board participants at the
2006 Volunteer Recognition Dinner where the Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award was presented.
The Pima County Attorney’s
Criminal Justice Board Program
received national recognition
in 2006 with the Presidential
Volunteer Service Gold Award.
40
CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT: Community Prosecutor’s Academy
The Community Prosecutor’s Academy began
in 2002. The Pima County Attorney’s Office
offers this unique insight into the workings of
a busy metropolitan prosecutor’s office twice
a year to members of the public who want
to learn about the County Attorney’s Office
and the process of criminal prosecution. The
academy provides information about all aspects
of the County Attorney’s Office and the criminal
justice system, covering the death penalty, drug
prosecution, juvenile prosecution, and communitybased programs.
Since its inception, hundreds of members
of the community have participated in the Pima
County Attorney’s Community Prosecutor’s
Academy. Participants range in age from 16 to
75. Some are students in high school, college, law
school, or graduate school. Others are retirees,
Graduates of the spring 2007 Community Prosecutor’s Academy.
business owners, state legislators, doctors, or other
government workers interested in finding out how
the Office works.
The Pima County Attorney’s Community
Prosecutor’s Academy curriculum has been
distributed to more than 200 prosecutors’ offices
around the country. A number of other prosecutors’
offices have emulated this unique and highly
innovative program.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
41
VOULTUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Community volunteers contribute their time and talents
In 1997, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office VIP Volunteer and Intern Program was
developed. This program provides opportunities
for qualified volunteers to contribute their time and
talents, to learn more about their County Attorney’s
Office and at the same time make a significant
contribution to their community.
Our volunteer program offers a wide variety of
opportunities for citizens to contribute. We have
opportunities for placement at all levels throughout
the Office, including the Juvenile Division, the Civil
Division, Detective Division, and on all trial teams
in the Criminal Division, such as Gangs, Special
Victims, Cold Case, and Misdemeanors. We also
provide volunteer opportunities in our Victim
Witness Program.
If you are interested in
volunteering with the Pima
County Attorney’s Office,
please contact us at (520) 7405600 or web@pcao.pima.
gov.
When the volunteer program
began in 1997, 14 volunteers
worked in the County Attorney’s
Office, donating 340 hours.
In 2006, more than 160
volunteers provided over 22,000
hours of donated services to
the County Attorney’s Office
valued at more than half a
million dollars.
Sue Haley has volunteered for 5 ½ years in the Misdemeanors Unit where she
assists with records management. She retired from the payroll department in the
Norman Oklahoma School System and also owned a conference planning business.
Nancy Lomas is a psychology major at The University
of Arizona. She arranged her intership to receive
credit toward her degree. She provides trial team
support in the Criminal Division’s Violent Offenses Unit.
Additionally, she volunteers for our Community Justice
Board Program.
42
VOLUNTEERS IN THE PIMA COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN 2006: Making a difference
Pat Wiedhopf, volunteer coordinator, is
shown with Roseanna Martin who is an intern
completing requirements for a Paralegal degree at
Pima Community College.
C.J. Akselrad
Sheila Allen
Paul Angelo
Lisa Antkow
Monica Armenta
Anna Avila
Beth Barraso
Grace Blackstone
Randy Bourland
Stacey Brady
Irma Bravo
Teresa Bravo
Laurinne Brickman
Caitlin Buckwell
Donald Burtchin
Kate Butcher
Annabelle Carona
Alexia Caviglia
Jesse Charnick
Danna Charvoz
Brad Cheney
Jack Chin
Kathryn Claus
Michael Colmenero
Bernadette Cordova
Erica Cornejo
Nancy Curran
Darlene Damron
Mark deBarros
Cindy Dilley
Linda Drake
Sue Dupee
Elizabeth Easley
Eileen Eder
Julien Eggman
C.J. Fitzgibbons
Karla Flores
Franci Frasier
Mariah Freark
Allison Furman
Yvonne Garcia
Maria Garrick
Ann Geiger
Gordon Geiger
Shelly Gibbons
Linda Gilchrist
Julie Glendinning
Karen Goldberg
Sara Greco
Todd Grubb
Morgan Grygutis
Alex Gutierrez
Bobby Gutierrez
Shanda Gutierrez
Amanda Halla
Sue Haley
Claudette Haney
Jane Hawkins
Pat Hemersbach
Amy Huggins
James (Mike)
Humphrey
Mary Hurtado
Nevene Iskander
Laura Jasso
Emily R. Johnston
Jean Johnson
Kathleen Lis Reid
Johnson
Kathy Johnson
Tim Kaufman
Sandy Keifer
Mark Kimble
Bill Kitt
Aaron Klassen
Ann Marie Kouri
Stacy Leeds
Steve Lerch
Michael Linton
George Lockridge
May Lu
Fran Maffetone
Jeanne Maldonado
Maria Magana
Maureen Mahoney
Iris Manalo
Mike Marbut
David Martin
Roseanna Martin
Alfred Martinez
Sandra Martinez
Jeanie Marts
Larry Marts
Roxanne Maupin
Anne McAllister
Jody McClain
John McGrath
Jessica Mercer
Kellie Micheletti
Lara Mills-Knuth
Ingrid “Twink” Monrad
Luis Montijo
Kona Morgan
Sonya Morris
Carol Moritz
Sharon Naegler
Pete Nares
Dustin Nielson
Dennis Olson
Sue OsburnLockridge
Clarrissa Palma
Stefan Palys
Cristal Parkinson
J. C. Patrascioiu
Katie Paulson
Wanda Payne
Kristin Pearson
Robert Perhach
Kate Perry
Riisa Petersen
Denise Pruess
Lola Pyle-Vinzant
Leo Quesada
Kira Quinn-Worrall
Jordan Raimondo
Helen Ramirez
Kirsten Ray
Katie Regan
Brooke Richwine
Rosa Rivas
Shauna Rosa
Pete Robles
Annie Roepke
Michelle Romero
Meg Rother-Gossmann
Chuck Russell
Gail Sainz
Emily Shaffer
Pam Shimek
Steve Shimek
Karen Simms
Sylvia Skinner
Andrew Smith
Heather Smith
Evelyn Smith
Lizetta Smith
Janet Snyder
Hazel Soyannwo
Kristin Starr
Clinton R. Stinson
Jennifer Sullivan
Larry Sullivan
Jessica Todd
James Tombaugh
Paula Urey
Tyler Umfrid
Dianne VanHorn
Jenn Van Tasel
Joseph Vidal
Lisa Wakefield
Alton Wallace
Ysela Welding
Terrance West
Chandra WieneckeRascoe
Criag Wilson
Carol Wolf
Sarah Woods
Rosanna Yeary
Carlos Yanez
Michelle Yoon
Paul Zalinsky
Roseanna Martin is an intern in the Violent Offenses Unit.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS: Building a better community
Amber Alert
In February 2002, County Attorney Barbara
LaWall brought together local law enforcement and
media professionals to develop an early warning
alert system in Pima County, modeled after the
original AMBER Alert program in Texas, which
broadcasts early highway, television, and radio
notifications when children are abducted. As the
first Arizona county to institute the AMBER
Alert program, Pima County
created the momentum
for the enactment of this
program statewide in
Arizona. In 2003 because
of her efforts and her
leadership in Pima County,
Barbara LaWall was invited
by the White House to attend
the Rose Garden signing ceremony
for the PROTECT Act of
2003 which created a
national AMBER Alert.
Safe Baby Program
Upset with mothers who abandon their
unwanted newborn infants, County Attorney
Barbara LaWall used her prosecutorial discretion to
initiate the Safe Baby program. Pregnant women
who deliver an unwanted child can now turn the
child over to specified healthcare professionals
without fear of prosecution. This program provides
immunity from prosecution and allows frightened
young mothers to leave a child in the care and
custody of hospital and
healthcare practitioners.
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall at the White House
with John Walsh, father of murder victim Adam Walsh and
host of the television program, America’s Most Wanted.
Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy
Center
The Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy
Center, a non-profit children’s forensic services
agency, began under leadership from Barbara
LaWall in 1993. The Advocacy Center provides
a safe place where children who have suffered
from physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect are
examined and interviewed.
The Advocacy Center provides a one-stop,
child-friendly environment for the collection of
evidence in suspected child maltreatment cases.
The Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center’s Director Wilene Lampert,
Ph.D., and Deborah Reisen, M.D.
43
44
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
Homicide Survivors
Homicide Survivors, begun by Gail Leland
after the murder of her young son, Richard, offers
support, advocacy, and assistance to families and
friends who have lost a loved one to murder.
Homicide Survivors helps survivors cope with grief
and trauma and helps them seek justice for their
loved ones. The Pima County Attorney’s Office
provides office space and technical support to
Homicide Survivors.
Justice Coordinating Council
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall serves on
the Pima County Justice Coordinating Council, an
advisory council that provides coordination among
justice and law enforcement departments within
Pima County with respect to budget and personnel
matters and provides recommendations to the Pima
County Administrator on issues involving justice and
law enforcement.
Justice Partners
The Pima County Attorney’s Office is going
“paperless” as a way to save tax dollars, and
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
criminal prosecution. In 2005, Pima County
Attorney Barbara LaWall formed Justice Partners, a
regional collaboration with local law enforcement
agencies and the courts working together to share
information electronically and instantaneously,
instead of through paper reports sent in the
mail. By automating the transfer of information
among agencies, Justice Partners saves both time
and money for County
government, as well as
for local cities and towns,
while at the same time
improving efficiency and
effectiveness.
of children. The children identified are those
who are most likely to overstress the human
service and law enforcement system in the future
because of substance abuse, criminal behavior, or
poor behavioral health. Pima County Attorney
Barbara LaWall, a founding member, is dedicated
to addressing issues of violence, drug abuse, and
parental incarceration and their effect on young
children. Initially, this collaboration was funded, in
part, by criminal racketeering funds administered
by the County Attorney’s Office, and over the past
eight years has generated more than $4.5 million
in grants and in-kind contributions to support
the community’s efforts to prevent children from
entering the criminal justice system.
Juvenile Services
Coordinating
Council
The Juvenile Services
Coordinating Council, a
broad-based community
collaboration, began in
1999 to address the most
vulnerable populations
Homicide Survivors provides assistance to victims’ families in a way that no one else can.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
45
CIVIL DIVISION: We are the law firm for county government - a billion dollar enterprise, more than 7,000 employees
Chief Civil Deputy: Chris Straub
The Civil Division provides legal advice and defends
actions (lawsuits and claims) brought against the County,
any County elected officials, commissions, committees,
governing boards, various departments, and their
employees.
The mission of the Pima County Attorney’s
Office Civil Division is to promote ethical, effective
and efficient government by serving the public with
integrity and providing the highest quality legal
services to the citizens of Pima County.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office has twentyseven Civil Deputy County Attorneys who handle
a wide variety of legal matters. The Civil Division
provides legal advice and counsel to all Pima
County departments and special taxing districts,
including the Board of Supervisors and other Pima
County elected officials.
Chief Civil Deputy Chris Straub attends every
Board of Supervisors meeting to provide legal
advice.
WE SAVE PIMA COUNTY MONEY
Private corporations and individuals
sought more than $126 million in
taxpayer dollars from Pima County in
2006.
Our attorneys’ successful litigation
resulted in the payout being less than
2% of the amount claimed, saving
Pima County more than $124 million in
taxpayer dollars.
Pictured here are County Supervisors Sharon Bronson, Ramón Valadez, Ann Day, Ray Carroll, and Chairman Richard Elías, Clerk of the Board Lori Godoshian, County Administrator
Chuck Huckelberry, and Chief Civil Deputy County Attorney Chris Straub.
46
CIVIL DIVISION: Protecting the public interest
Defending the County
Civil Deputy County Attorneys defend lawsuits
brought against Pima County and pursue eminent
domain cases to acquire private property for public
use, such as roadways and drainageways. In
addition, Civil Deputies provide employment and
labor law advice to all county departments.
Health Care Law
Civil Deputy County Attorneys provide legal
advice to Pima Health Services, Posada del Sol
Nursing Home, the Department of Institutional
Health, the Pima County Health Department, and
the Forensic Sciences Center. During recent years,
Civil Deputies have been involved in the transfer
of hospital operations to University Physicians, the
retention of reputable organizations to provide
direct medical care and services to detention
populations, and the enforcement of public health
and animal care ordinances.
Mental Health Commitments
Civil Deputies handle involuntary hospital
commitments of individuals who pose a danger
to themselves or others. During calendar year
2006, the attorneys and paralegals managed
approximately 1,738 active cases involving
petitions for involuntary commitments for
mental health treatment.
Sheriff’s Legal Advisor
Civil Deputies are the legal advisors to the
Pima County Sheriff’s Department. In addition
to providing on-call legal advice to Deputies in
the field, they handle employment law for the
Sheriff, requests for public records, and provide
training for each class of recruits at the Sheriff’s
Department Training Academy. In 2006, the Unit
handled approximately 3,740 requests for legal
advice and assistance from deputies in the
field, responded to approximately 3,900 public
records requests, and conducted more than 130
hours of officer training.
Tax Collection Lawsuits
Civil Deputies represent Pima County, the Pima
County Assessor, and the Pima County Treasurer
in all disputes pertaining to the assessment and
collection of real and personal property taxes. The
Civil Deputies assist the Pima County Attorney’s
Bad Check program in collecting restitution owed
to victims. They work to ensure that money owed
to victims is not lost if the bad check writers file for
bankruptcy.
Deputy County Attorney Sean Holguin of the Civil Division meets with Sheriff’s Deputies Dawn Hanke and A.J. Doran.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
CIVIL DIVISION: Working to protect the environment and open space
Land Use & Environmental Law
Civil Deputies bring legal actions to
enforce zoning, building, and environmental
ordinances and regulations. During calendar
year 2006, the Pima County Attorney’s
Office managed an active caseload of 542
environmental and land use cases. In the
past ten years, the Office has successfully
defended the legality of the County’s Native
Plant Preservation Ordinance and the County’s
Inclusive Home Design Ordinance, which
requires homes to be designed to be more
accessible to the disabled.
The Sonoran Desert
Conservation Plan
Civil Deputy County Attorneys negotiated
the legal transactions for important
acquisitions of large tracts of open space and
ranches in Pima County, such as Rancho Seco,
Six Bar Ranch, Agua Verde and Buckelew
Farms. These acquisitions support the
development and implementation of the
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.
Our clients include …
Board of Supervisors
County Administrator
County Elected Officials
Planning and Zoning Commission
Development Services
Department of Environmental
Quality
Transportation Department
Flood Control District
Real Property Services
Wastewater Management
Procurement
Community Services
Facilities Management
Elections
County Libraries
Stadium District
Parks and Recreation
Public Health Services
County Finance
Fire and School Districts
and more ...
47
48
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP: Pima County Attorney employees are dedicated public servants and leaders
Many of the criminal prosecutors and civil
deputies and staff in the Pima County Attorney’s
Office are leaders in their professional communities.
A full listing of these individuals and their active
involvement and leadership in these organizations is
available on the Pima County Attorney’s website at
www.pcao.pima.gov. Below is a list of many of the
professional organizations in which they participate:
American Prosecutors Research Institute
Arizona Auto Theft Authority
Arizona Chapter of the International Association of
Arson Investigators
Arizona Coalition on Domestic Violence
Arizona Counties Civil Attorneys Group
Arizona County Attorneys and Sheriffs Association
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
Arizona Forfeiture Association
Arizona Governor’s Commission on Violence
Against Women
Arizona Governor’s Selection Committee for
Department of Corrections Director
Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force
Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council
Arizona Women Lawyers Association
Chief Trial Counsel Rick Unklesbay, 2006 recipient of Arizona State Bar Michael
Cudahy Criminal Justice Award Lifetime Achievement in Prosecution, with County
Attorney Barbara LaWall. He has been recognized many times for his leadership
and service in the criminal justice system. Among other awards he has received
are the Association of Government Attorney’s in Capital Litigation Trial Advocacy
Award in 2005 and the Arizona Prosecutor of the Year Award for 2004-2005.
Governor’s Advisory Task Force for Improving
Outcomes for Incarcerated Women and Their
Children
Juvenile Services Coordinating Council
Law Enforcement Coordinating Council
Minority Bar Association
National College of District Attorneys
National District Attorneys Association
Pima County Employee Council
Pima County Bar Association
Pima County Wellness Advisory Committee
Southern Arizona Arson and Bomb Group
Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center
Southern Arizona DUI Task Force
Southwest Border Prosecutor’s Initiative
State Bar of Arizona
Western Coalition of Arid States Committee on
Environmental Regulations
Assistant Chief Civil Deputy
Regina Nassen was recognized
in 2006 by the Arizona Open
Land Trust for her exceptional
contributions toward the
preservation of open space in
Pima County.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
RECOGNITION AND AWARDS: Employees are recognized for their oustanding work
Arizona Clean and Beautiful
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
Arizona Open Land Trust
Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council
Association of Government Attorneys in Capital
Litigation
Arizona Counter Narcotics Association
Arizona Association of Government Attorneys
Arizona Attorney General’s Office
Arizona State Gang Task Force
Arizona Women Lawyers Association
Bounce Back Corporation
Crime Prevention Council Award
Gang Intelligence Enforcement Mission
International Association of Arson Investigators
Las Familias
LULAC
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
National Association of Social Workers
National Organization for Victims’ Rights
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Pima County Sheriffs Department
State Bar of Arizona
Tucson Police Department
Tucson Fire Department
U.S. Department of Justice/FBI
YMCA of Metropolitan Tucson
YWCA
For a full listing of the individuals who have received
awards from these organizations and a description of the
awards, see the Pima County Attorney’s website at www.
pcao.pima.gov.
Deputy County Attorney Bill Dickinson was recognized
with a Citizen’s Award by the Tucson Fire Department for
his outstanding work in arson prosecution.
Deputy County Attorneys Chris Ward and Richard
Wintory were presented with Unit Medals by the Tucson
Police Department Chief Richard Miranda for outstanding
work in prosecuting complex narcotics trafficking cases in
conjunction with the Counter Narcotics Alliance.
Attorney Ben Mendola, recipient of the 2006 MADD
Excellence in DUI Adjudication Award.
49
50
GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY: Pima County Attorney’s office employees give even more on their own time
Many Pima County Attorney’s Office employees
serve on local boards and contribute their time
and themselves outside the Office to local
organizations. A full listing of the individuals and
their contributions is available on the Pima County
Attorney’s website at www.pcao.pima.gov.
Arizona Air Force Reserve
Arizona National Guard
Arizona Balalaika Orchestra
Arizona Department of Real Estate
Arizona Human Rights Fund
Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Arizona Women’s Conference
Arizona’s Children
Big Brothers / Big Sisters
Cholla High School (Law Magnet Program)
Community Food Bank
Greater Tucson Leadership
Habitat for Humanity
Homicide Survivors
International Association of Administrative
Professionals
James E. Rogers College of Law
Las Familias
Lawyers for Literacy
Pima Community College Paralegal Program
Pima County Attorney Victim Witness Volunteer
Program
Pima County Attorney 88-CRIME Program
Special Olympics
Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center
United Way
University of Arizona
Wills for Heroes
Wingspan
World Care
Volunteer Center
YMCA
YWCA
Deputy County Attorney Lew Brandes
served in Iraq (Northern Watch) as
the Judge Advocate General (JAG) in
2001. At present he works weekends
as the JAG officer at Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base.
Deputy County Attorneys Casey McGinley, Malena
Acosta and Dan Nicolini volunteer their time with the
Wills for Heroes program that drafts wills free for first
responders including Fire, Police and Paramedics.
Civil Deputy Wendy Peterson is among the many attorneys in the office who
volunteer their time as tutors in elementary school for the Lawyers for Literacy
program. In 1999 and again in 2005, Wendy received the Pima County Sheriff’s
Department Special Recognition Award for outstanding performance.
10 Year Report 1996 – 2006
EMPLOYEES IN THE PIMA COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE: Making a difference
Maria M. Acosta
Harlan C. Agnew
Socorro Alderete
Veronica A. Allen
Beth Ann Anderson
Ronald D. Anna
Emilia M. Apolinar
Dennis A. Appleby
Michelle C. Araneta
Jodi Marie Argenziano
Blanca E. Arias
Cynnamon Arizpuru
Melissa Armendariz
Sabrina Arnell
Amy Arnold
Jose Arvizu
Lizette Arvizu
Virginia Aspacher
Annette Atkins
Grace E. Atwell
Kenneth L. Badyl
Marisa L. Balch
Faten R. Barakat
Stephanie M. Barker
Brian K. Barter
Robert Basham
Klaus J. Bastl
Licett Basurto
Clementina Batista-Grijalva
Susan E. Beach
Carole L. Beakey
Anne M. Bellinger
Katie M. Beringson
David L. Berkman
Gene Bertie
Stacey L. Bowman
Lewis Brandes
Ryan J. Breeden
Allison Breitkreitz
Lisa D. Brooks
Cheryl D. Brown
Ellen Ridge Brown
Katheryn A. Brunson
Joseph H. Buescher, Jr
Kent R. Burbank
Michael W. Burns
Barbara S. Burstein
Judith Bush-Clonts
Amanda J. Bynum
Lisa Cardenas
Dale H. Cardy
Nora Castillo
Jose L. Chaidez
Bruce H. Chalk
Michelle Y. Chamblee
Linda S. Chappell
Diana C. Chattulani
Christy A. Chavez
Bunkye Chi
James L. Christensen
Scott A. Christensen
April J. Congrove
Darlene M. Cook
Jennifer Copenhaver-Celi
Erica A. Cornejo
Joday A. Corrales
Rosanna O. Cortez
James M.Coughlin
Amelia Craig Cramer
Kara J. Crosby
Wendy S. Cuppe
Roberta K, Cushman
Arthea E. Dailous
Earl Dailous
Wendy Davenport
Lysa Davis
Nancy Davis
Terence K. Deighan
Jesse L. Delaney
Phyllis Deluca
Thomas A. Denker
Gary L. Dhaemers
Sandra A. Diaz
Bill Dickinson
Mark Dickinson
Amy Dicochea
Mark T. Diebolt
Cinda Sue Don Carlos
Lorraine A. Dorame
Sandee L. Downey
Howard Druan
Karen L. Dryden
Thomas E. Dugal
Ashley Duncan
Susie Dupnik
Carla Dupuy
Robert Dutcher
Susan Eazer
Sheila A, Einweck
Nick Elias
Christine Elliott
Michele Elmer
Rosa M. Encinas
Yvonne Falzone
Karen Friar
Catherine A. Gale
Yvonne M. Gallego
Vicki Gallion-Bewley
Jennifer Garcia
Cherilyn Gates
Ivana Celeste Gavino
Heather Gaw
Barbara Gelband
Vincent H. George
Peggy Germany
Robert Gilbreath
Gregory Gills, Jr.
Barrett Gipp
Julie Glendinning
Teresa Godoy
Erin Good
Nicol Green
Angelique A. Griffith
Sarah Grove
Morgan Grygutis
Carl Guerrieri
Julia Haley
Amanda Halla
Bonny L. Halliday
Vanessa Hansen
Lorraine Harrington
Joan Harris
Analilia Harrison
Dagmar Harrison
Cheryl Hart
Janet Hart
Ken Hartsock
Maria Harvey
Evelyn Hazlett
Irene Hazzard
Kathleen Heitzmann
Georgia Hernandez
Richard Hernandez
Chelita Hinthorn
Peter Hochuli
Diana Hofsdal
Sean Holguin
Brad Holland
Murdock Holloway
Jeffrey Holmes
Phyllis Jean Horton
Gina Inman
Kandis Isner
Barbara Jackson
Kenneth Janes
Timothy Jefferson
Diana Jennings
Shawn Jensvold
Cary Johnson
Kathleen Johnson
Kellie Lynn Johnson
Kimberly Johnson
Paula Johnson
Gail Kaczynski
Danille Kamps
Jodi Karlan
Kristen Kelly
Michael Kelly
Jeffrey Kerr
Dana Kidder
Lisa Kimpel
Sandra Kinion
Michael Kisgen
Terri Klein
Ann Knachel
Nicolette Kneup
Neil Konigsberg
Laura Kravec
Jared Kreamer Hope
Rona Nichols Kreamer
Kevin Krejci
Kurt Kreutz
Elisabeth Montijo Lahrman
Heather Lane
Cheryl Lapper
Troy Larkin
Barbara Lauritzen
Paul Lauritzen
Shanna Lawson
Rosa Ledesma
Meara Lesho
Olivia Lewis
Jacob Lines
Michael Linton
George Lockridge
Kimberly Loe
Georgina Lopez
Rebecca Love
Lesley Lukach
Linda Luke
Lori Lundberg
Leslie Lynch
Zachary Mack
Frances Maffetone
Margarita Magallanez
Maria Luisa Magana
Kathleen Mann
Chad Marchand
Paul L. Marts, Jr.
Helen Mata
51
52
EMPLOYEES IN THE PIMA COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (continued)
Karen Mathis
Kathleen A. Mayer
Robert McCafferty
Brian McCarthy
William McCollum, Jr.
Leslie McDermott
Babette McDonald
David McDonald
Scott McDonald
Casey McGinley
Michaele Mckenzie
Barbara McMurray
Deborah McMurrich
Frances McNeely
Galeanne McNelly
Kristi Mehes
Wesley Mehl
Robin Melichar Kennedy
Virgina Mendibles
Steve Merrick
John Merritt
Veronica Meyer
Rutheanne Miller
Tracy Miller
Belen Miranda
Carole Moga
Mary Molina
Francesca Montenegro
Susan Montgomery
Joseph Montrose
Arlene Moore
Robert Morrison
Nanette Morrow
Jonathan Mosher
Carlos R. Munoz, Jr.
Sylvia Munoz
Thomas Anthony Murray
Nancy Nares
Peter Nares
Regina Nassen
Marc Natelsky
Carolyn Nedder
Christine Nguyen
Daniel Nicolini
Lupe Ornelas
Ronald Orrantia
Sherry Ortega
Amanda Ortiz
Victoria Otto
Raymond Pace
Francisco Padilla
Kirt Palmer
William Palmer
Emily Parish
Tari Parish
Maria Parra-Quijada
William F. Pascoe
Jean-Cristian Patrascioiu
Robert Peck, Jr.
Brenda Pelton
Tyrin Pereida
Deborah Perman
Paula Perrera
Raymond Pesqueira
Riisa Petersen
Wendy Petersen
Janet Peterson
Linda Peterson
Natisha Petty
Shaun Pfund
L. Jo Pierce
Brenda Pinckney
Sally J. Pittman
Matthew Rabb
Michael Rabb
Andrea Ramos
Jose Ramos
Angelica Rangel
Thomas Rankin
Ke’opulaulani Reelitz
Tiffany Richardson
Rachael Rivera
Amber Roberts
Terri Roberts
Alicia R. Robertson
Frank Robles
Virginia Robles-Barker
Kathleen Rodriguez
Kim Rodriguez
Anthony Romero
Lisa Rivera Romero
Wendy Romero
Stacey Roseberry
Stephanie Rowland
Donna Rubik
Deborah Ruder
Katherine Rudersdorf
Lillian Ruelas
Melissa Rueschhoff
Nicole Russell
Ronald Ryan
Alex Salcido
Ed Salgado
Leticia Santa Cruz
Sylvia Savalas
David Savel
Greg Schlesselman
Ryan Schmidt
Jennifer Seigla
Deborah Lynn Shannon
Pamela Shimek
Michael Shupe
Heather Siegele
Anita Simons
Amiee D. Simpson
Cheryl A. Simpson
Elizabeth A. Siravo
Deidre K. Smith
Dimple Ann Smith
Janice Smith
David Smutzer
Isabel Burruel-Smutzer
Paula Sowers
Louis Spivack
Rosemary Sprague
Keith St John
Lindsay St John
Bonnie Standley
Karen J. Stark
Deborah M. Stein
Bruce D. Stewart
Christopher L. Straub
Jennifer Sullivan
Tai Summers
Ann Svoboda
Joseph Sweeney
Katherine Syverson
Heidi Tadlock
Erik Taylor
Matthew Taylor
Alexis Thompson
Jeri A. Thorpe
Patricia Todd
Thomas Todd
Allison Tona
Rick Unklesbay
Alfred Urbina
Alejandra Valdez
Frances Valdez
Valarie Valencia
Veronica Valencia
Lisa Valenzuela
Francisco Vasquez
Monica Vasquez
Angelica Vera
Joseph Vidal
Mark von Destinon
Lee J. Walter
Rui Wang
Christopher Ward
Marianne Warneke
Veronica Michelle Watson
Thomas Weaver
Charles Wesselhoft
Carolyn J. White
Carol J. Widenhofer
Patricia Wiedhopf
Eleanor Wile
Robert Wile
Adam Wilkes
James Wilkes
Kendrick Wilson
Patricia Wilson
Richard M. Wintory
Janet Wollerman
Elizabeth Wolnick
Gracie Woodard
Christina Wu
Philip H. Young, III
Vicki Young
Elisa Yslava
German Yusufov
Mary Zeller
Heidi Zimmer
Acknowledgements
I want to thank the staff of the Pima County Attorney’s Office for their past 10 years
of dedicated service and the assistance all provided with the compilation of this
report. Special recognition goes to Chief Deputy Amelia Craig Cramer, Special Staff
Assistants Fran McNeely and Mark von Destinon for their excellent writing, editing,
and research in the development of this project. I also want to thank the Criminal
Investigation Division and the Information Technology Unit for their assistance with
collecting photographs and the Pima County Graphic Services Department for their
creativity.
Report designed by Pete Corrao, Pima County Graphic Services Department.
Funding for this report was provided by funds
seized from and forfeited by defendants convicted
of criminal activity in Pima County.
Pima County Attorney’s Office
32 N. Stone Ave, Suite 1400
Tucson, AZ 85701
Main Number (520) 740-5600
Victim Witness (520) 740-5525
Bad Check (520) 740-4100
Civil Division (520) 740-5750
Website: www.pcao.pima.gov
E-mail: pimacounty.attorney@pcao.pima.gov
Pima County Attorney’s Ajo Unit
111 La Mina Avenue
Ajo, AZ 85741
Phone: (520) 387-6112
Fax: (520) 387-6748
Pima County Attorney’s Green Valley Unit
601 North La Canada
Green Valley, AZ 85614
Phone: (520) 648-2808
Fax: (520) 393-2980
Pima County Attorney’s Juvenile Unit
2335 E. Ajo Way
Tucson, Arizona 85713
Phone: (520) 740-2991
Fax: (520) 770-9212
Publication date: November 2007
Barbara LaWall
Pima County Attorney

LaWall AReport 1120.indd

Transcription

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