News - Pinal County Attorney's Office

6th Annual Law Enforcement Association Golf Tournament seeks players, sponsors

August 2, 2023/in News

(MARICOPA, AZ) - The Pinal County Attorneys Office is looking for both sponsors and excited players to participate in the 6th Annual Pinal County Law Enforcement Association Golf Tournament.

The tournament is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 8th, 2023 at Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa. Lunch is included in the event.

Money raised during the golf tournament provides training scholarships for law enforcement officers throughout Pinal County. Teams of four are encouraged, however teams of two can be placed accordingly. The event is open to the public.

In 2021, the golf tournament raised more than $10,000 that went toward training opportunities and resources for officers.

If you are interested in playing in the tournament or becoming a sponsor, see the below flyers for additional details. You can also contact Community Liaison Latisha Joseph at Latisha.Joseph@Pinal.Gov.

PCLEA Golf Info

PCLEA Registration

PCLEA Sponsor Levels

###

Surprise man sentenced to 25 years for luring a minor, child sex trafficking

August 1, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ August 1st, 2023) - A Surprise man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for child sex trafficking and luring an underage girl via a social media app to engage in sexual activity as the victim “needed the money to help her mom pay their rent.”

On July 31, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Daniel Washburn sentenced Joel Disanto, 47, to 25 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime probation.

DiSanto pled guilty to Aggravated Luring of a Minor, a Class Two Felony; and Child Sex Trafficking, a Class Two Felony and Dangerous Crime Against Children.

In October, 2022, the mother of a 15-year-old went through her phone and discovered sexually explicit images of her daughter that were being sent through Snap Chat. The victim’s older sister also searched the victim’s cell phone and found a text message indicating the victim had sex with a male in his 40s. During a forensic interview with the victim, she disclosed that she had met a number of men on Snap Chat who sent her sexually explicit material, and that she had been communicating with a subject by the username ‘Daniel Donkey.’ The victim indicated the person behind the username wanted to meet with her in order to engage in sexual activity, and offered to pay her. According to law enforcement, the victim noted that “she needed the money to help her mom pay their rent.”

The victim disclosed that in September 2022 she met with “Daniel Donkey” in Casa Grande and engaged in a sex act with him after making it clear she was 15 years old.

During the investigation, the Casa Grande Police Department obtained a search warrant for the Snapchat account, which helped to identify the account’s creator as DiSanto. DiSanto’s physical characteristics also matched the description provided by the victim. DiSanto was already listed as a sex offender and a sexually violent predator.

Investigators located sexually explicit material on DiSanto’s Snapchat account. The geolocation of his phone also provided details helping to corroborate the victim’s account.

###

PCAO selected as model site for national program designed to improve behavioral health outcomes

August 1, 2023/in News

(FLORENCE, AZ August 1st, 2023) - The Pinal County Attorney's Office Adult Diversion Program has been selected as a model site for a national program designed to improve behavioral health outcomes.

PCAO has been chosen as one of the 10 inaugural programs that will serve as model examples for the national Criminal Justice-Mental Health Learning Site Program. PCAO will be serving alongside 9 other sites that are leading the way with innovative practices, aimed to improve outcomes for people with behavioral health needs in the criminal justice system. The selected sites are:

Pinal County Attorney’s Office Adult Diversion Program, Pinal County, AZ (Program Type: Prosecutor-Led Diversion)

California State University San Bernardino FAITHS Throughcare Program, San Bernardino, CA (Program Type: Jail-Based Treatment)

Boulder County’s Community Justice Services, The Behavioral Health Assistance Program, Boulder County, CO (Program Type: Jail Reentry Program)

Bonneville County Mental Health Court, Bonneville, ID (Program Type: Specialty Court)

Lancaster County Department of Community Corrections, Lancaster, NE (Program Type Court-Based Diversion)

Bronx EAC Mental Health Court, Bronx, NY (Program Type: Specialty Court)

Downtown Austin Community Court, Austin, TX (Program Type: Specialty Court)

Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network Behavioral Justice Center Division, Waco, TX (Program Type: Jail-Based Diversion)

Virginia Department of Corrections Community Corrections, Richmond, VA (Program Type: Specialized Probation for People with Mental Health Needs)

The Washington Corrections Center for Women’s Mental Health Department, Tumwater, WA (Program Type: Prison Reentry Program)

PCAO will be sharing expertise and knowledge with other criminal justice and mental health agencies and organizations.

Full details

https://jmhcp.org/support/

###

PCAO attorney named ‘Felony Prosecutor of the Year’

July 31, 2023/in News

(FLORENCE, AZ July 31, 2023) – The Pinal County Attorney’s Office is honored to recognize one of its prosecutors, named as the Felony Prosecutor of the Year.

Patrick Johnson, lead capital attorney at PCAO, was named 2023 Felony Prosecutor of the Year by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council.

“I am proud to win this award because it is a reflection of the hard work that our team puts into cases,” Johnson said. “I am fortunate to work with dedicated professionals that sacrifice on a daily basis to work for Justice. Barbara Marvel, William Wallace, Herb Padilla, Traci Borquez, and Julie Jaramillo make a fantastic team that puts in countless hours to make sure we are doing the right things for the community.”

Johnson is assigned to the Major Crimes Bureau within PCAO. This past Winter, Johnson secured a guilty verdict in a complex prison death penalty case that involved first-degree murder along with the jury findings of capital aggravators. The case took more than a decade to get to trial and underwent significant pre-trial litigation, multiple changes in defense teams and nearly a dozen prosecutors prior to Johnson taking over the case. The defendant lived in multiple locations, including American Samoa, with the victim coming from Hawaii, requiring Johnson to track down witnesses from the mainland and Hawaii, while also having to coax them into coming to Florence for the trial.

“Pinal County is fortunate to have a prosecutor like Patrick,” said County Attorney Kent Volkmer. “He is an extremely talented and skilled litigator that comes to work every day focused on holding our most violent offenders accountable. We are pleased that his dedicated service and incredible efforts are being recognized statewide.”

Johnson has been with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office since 2013.

The Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council, created in the 1970s, coordinates and provides training and education to prosecutors throughout Arizona.

###

Diversion participant shares recovery story

July 28, 2023/in News

Eligible defendants who participate in the Diversion Program are granted the opportunity to complete a set of requirements, including admitting responsibility, in order to earn a second chance.

For many, this includes going through the recovery process.

Andrew, featured in the below video, shared his recovery story in an effort to inspire others who are working to overcome addiction.

Eligibility for the Diversion program typically depends on various factors, including the nature of the offense, the offender's criminal history, and their willingness to participate in the program. Overall, the goal of a Diversion program is to strike a balance between accountability and rehabilitation, offering a more constructive and individualized approach to address certain offenses and guide participants toward a more positive and law-abiding future.

###

San Tan Valley man sentenced to more than decade in prison for death of three passengers in vehicle

July 21, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A San Tan Valley man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for the death of three passengers of a vehicle he was driving that crashed while fleeing law enforcement.

On June 19th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson sentenced Juan Sanchez, 21, to 14 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Sanchez pled guilty to three (3) counts of Manslaughter, all Class 2 Felonies.

In February 2019, deputies with the PInal County Sheriff's Office attempted to pull over Sanchez, when he accelerated to speeds in excess of 70mph. Deputies noted Sanchez was driving in a manner to overtly flee law enforcement, and at one point conducted an improper U-turn that entered a residential yard. Sanchez again accelerated to a high rate of speed onto Schnepf Road, failing to stop at the posted stop sign and failing to yield to opposing traffic. At one point the vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100mph and ultimately the driver lost control of the vehicle while driving along the dirt shoulder.The vehicle veered across the road and collided with a fixed concrete structure. Three of the occupants of the vehicle died as a result of the collision.

###

Nearly 40 people attend packed Citizens Academy in July

July 18, 2023/in News

(FLORENCE, AZ) - Nearly 40 county residents got an in-depth look at the criminal justice system during the second Citizens Academy of the year put on by the Pinal County Attorney's Office.

The July class was the largest Citizens Academy since PCAO launched the program in early 2022. For this event, 39 Pinal County residents took part and learned how charging decisions are made, heard a special presentation by PCAO's Drug Bureau Chief, reviewed and discussed the evidence in multiple cases prosecuted by PCAO, toured the county jail and used a shooting simulator to better understand the difficult situations that law enforcement often face. County Attorney Kent Volkmer led the class and answered additional questions from participants.

"I enjoyed the class thoroughly," said one participant in a post-event survey.

The sentiment was shared among many who attended.

"We [are] impressed the County Attorney takes a whole day out to educate the public about his organization," said another participant in the survey. "Mr. Volkmer is a wonderful speaker and we appreciated his candor."

The Citizens Academy aims to educate those who attend on the criminal justice field and give participants an immersive look at how a case is reviewed, charged and prosecuted.

"We try to make this as educational and engaging as possible," said Public Information Officer Mike Pelton. "Those who attend always bring great questions, and we hope they leave with a better and more accurate sense of how the criminal justice system works and how it functions in Pinal County."

PCAO plans to host one more Citizens Academy this year, although a date has not yet been finalized.

###

Next ‘Community Meeting’ set for July 13th in Maricopa

July 6, 2023/in News

(FLORENCE, AZ) - The Pinal County Attorney's Office will join several city officials to discuss a wide range of important topics with residents in Maricopa this month.

The Pinal County Attorney's Office has been hosting 'community meetings' across Pinal County throughout the year, in order to better connect residents with their local leaders in order to answer questions, provide updates on what is occurring in their neighborhoods, and address any concerns.

On July 13th, 2023, County Attorney Kent Volkmer will join several city officials to discuss a range of topics, including economic growth, fraud awareness, domestic violence, suicide prevention and issues facing schools.

What: Community Meeting in the City of Maricopa

When: Thursday, July 13, 2023 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Where: Copper Sky - 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Maricopa

Speakers include County Attorney Kent Volkmer, Mayor Nancy Smith, Police Chief Mark Goodman, Maricopa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman, City Councilman Henry Wade, Louis Kroll (student) and Pricilla Behnke, the Director of the Be Awesome Youth Coalition.

For questions, please reach out to Community Liaison Latisha Joseph at Latisha.Joseph@Pinal.Gov.

Maricopa Community Meeting (1)

###

Have a fun (and safe) Holiday weekend!

June 30, 2023/in News

Holiday Weekend!

As we head into the 4th of July weekend, please celebrate responsibly and have fun without compromising safety. Here are some fun and educational tips to ensure an enjoyable holiday:

Hot Temperatures: Keep cool amid the scorching heat the next few days. Stay hydrated, seek shade, and wear sunscreen. Always drink plenty of water!

Water Safety: Whether you're hitting the beach, pool, or enjoying water activities, safety is key! Swim in designated areas, supervise children, and wear appropriate life jackets.

Don't Drink and Drive: Celebrate responsibly by designating a sober driver or using ride-sharing services. Let's ensure everyone gets home safely. Cheers to responsible choices!

Firework Safety: If fireworks are part of your festivities, follow local regulations and guidelines.

Shannon's Law Reminder: No Shooting Guns into the Air! It is illegal and extremely dangerous to shoot celebratory gunfire into the air. Bullets fired upward can return at deadly speeds.

Pet Safety: Remember, our furry friends may be sensitive to loud noises and crowds. Keep them in a secure and calm environment, away from fireworks and excessive noise.

Respect Others: Be mindful of your neighbors and community. Celebrate with consideration for noise levels, clean up after yourself, and be respectful of private property.

We hope you enjoy the festivities and have a great time with loved ones. Have a safe and spectacular 4th of July!

###

San Tan Valley teen sentenced to life in prison for murder of another teen

June 29, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A San Tan Valley teen has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of another teen connected to the sale of a vape cartridge.

On June 22^nd, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Daniel Washburn sentenced Joshua Franklin, 16, to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years, plus an additional 10.5 years.

In May, a jury found Franklin guilty of First Degree Murder, a Class One Felony and Burglary in the First Degree, a Class Two Felony. Franklin was tried as an adult.

In September 2021, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal shooting at a home in San Tan Valley. The victim was identified as a 15-year-old boy who had been shot multiple times at close range and was found deceased in the front entrance of the home. Investigators learned the shooter left the scene wearing all black clothing and was also in possession of a motorized scooter with a seat. Investigators learned the victim was involved in selling vape cartridges, and they discovered Franklin was upset with what he thought was a defective cartridge purchased from the victim a few days prior. According to a witness, the victim and Franklin were set to meet on the day of the homicide to exchange the cartridge. Social media records revealed the victim had sent Franklin his home address shortly before the murder. Geo location data from Franklin’s cell phone and from social media both showed travel from Franklin's home to the victim’s home, remaining at the victim's home for 2-3 minutes, and then traveling back to Franklin's home on the day of the murder. The timing from the location data matched the timing of eye-witness accounts, the 911 call, the social media chats, and surveillance video obtained from a neighbor's home. Franklin matched the physical characteristics of the person dressed in all black with a black backpack who witnesses saw leaving the scene and was captured on the surveillance video. A scooter and backpack matching those seen in the video and described by witnesses was located in Franklin's bedroom closet.

###