Significant Sentences - Pinal County Attorney's Office

Casa Grande man sentenced to multiple life sentences for illicit sexual contact with a minor

March 16, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Casa Grande man has been sentenced to multiple life sentences in the Arizona Department of Corrections for illicit sexual contact with a minor.

On March 1st, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Daniel Washburn sentenced Salvador Barron, 60, to three consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 22.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

In January, a Pinal County Superior Court Jury found Barron guilty of multiple offenses. Barron was found guilty of three counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor under the age of 15, all Class Two Felonies and Dangerous Crimes Against Children; Two counts of Molestation of a Child, both Class Two Felonies; and Sexual Abuse of a Minor under the age of 15, a Class Three Felony.

In 2019, the Casa Grande Police Department was contacted and an investigation began into allegations of illicit sexual contact with a juvenile. During a forensic interview, the juvenile disclosed Barron had touched her inappropriately on numerous occasions and had sexual contact with her. The findings of a forensic medical examination were also consistent with the allegations.

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Maricopa man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing illicit pictures of children

March 7, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Maricopa man has been sentenced to a decade in prison for possessing illicit pictures of children.

On February 27^th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg sentenced Azeri Hanson, 22, to ten years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime probation.

Hanson pled guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, a Class Two Felony and Dangerous Crime Against Children; and two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in the Second Degree, both Class Three Felonies and Preparatory Dangerous Crimes Against Children.

In 2021, Homeland Security Investigations conducted an online investigation into a user suspected of uploading files to the internet which contained child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In March 2022, the internet provider identified the IP address as coming from Hanson’s residence. Investigators were also able to find a Twitter account posting the explicit material on the platform and also linked the account to Hanson’s address, according to court documents.

In June 2022, HSI agent and the Maricopa Police Department executed a search warrant on Hanson’s home. According to court documents, investigators located the relevant online network on the defendant’s device as well as additional illicit material involving children.

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Casa Grande man sentenced to 13 years for stabbing two relatives

March 3, 2023/in Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Casa Grande man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for intentionally stabbing two relatives with a knife.

On January 9^th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg sentenced Angelo Martinez, 50, to 13 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by three years of supervised probation.

Martinez pled guilty to two counts of Aggravated Assault, both Class 3 Felonies and Domestic Violence Offenses.

In March 2022, Martinez stabbed two of his relatives with a butcher knife, according to court documents. One of them suffered lacerations to her liver, lung, diaphragm and scalp. Martinez was on felony probation relating to another charge involving a stabbing at the time the incident occurred. The US Marshals Task Force located and arrested Martinez.

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Maricopa man sentenced to more than seven years in cases relating to impaired driving

February 28, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Maricopa man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for multiple cases involving impaired driving.

On January 23,2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Steven Fuller sentenced Augustine Alvarez, 35, to 7.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by 18 months supervised probation.

Alvarez pled guilty to Aggravated Driving or Actual Physical Control while Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor or Drugs, a Class 4 Felony with One Prior Felony Conviction.

This sentence is the result of multiple cases. In one instance in February 2021, an off-duty trooper called the Maricopa Police Department to report a vehicle swerving and unable to stay in the lane. Once an officer was able to get the vehicle to stop, Alvarez was identified as the driver. A blood draw analysis revealed Alvarez had a BAC of .223, or nearly three times the legal limit.

A separate incident occurred in Maricopa in December 2021, where, according to court documents, Alvarez was found passed out after he backed into a parked vehicle. Blood results showed Alvarez had a BAC of roughly .34, or more than four times the legal limit.

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Maricopa man sentenced to 7 years for shooting at occupied house, in direction of another vehicle

February 27, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Maricopa man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for shooting at an occupied home and in the direction of another occupied vehicle.

On January 23, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson sentenced Nicholas Lange, 18, to seven years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by three years of supervised probation.

Lange pled guilty to Aggravated Assault, a Class 3 Dangerous Felony and Discharge of a Firearm at a Residential Structure, a Class Two Felony.

In June 2021, the Maricopa Police Department received reports from residents indicating a large number of gunshots heard in the area. Once officers arrived on scene, they found Lange in front of a home holding a long gun, according to court documents. A neighbor later provided surveillance video where multiple gun shots could be heard. The investigation concluded that Lange fired in the direction of a vehicle which was occupied by one person, as well as at a home that was occupied by another. Some of the discharged rounds caused damage to the house.

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Casa Grande man sentenced to 9 years for misconduct involving weapons

February 24, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Casa Grande man has been sentenced to nearly a decade in prison for misconduct involving weapons.

On January 23,2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Steven Fuller sentenced Eugene Echols, 78, to nine years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

A jury found Echols guilty of Misconduct Involving Weapons, a Class 4 Felony.

In March 2021, the Casa Grande Police Department responded to a report that two people got into a fight and one of them was holding a gun. Once on scene, officers located two people inside an apartment and tried to get both to walk outside. According to court documents, during this process Echols briefly ducked behind a refrigerator before reappearing. Officers were granted permission to go inside the property and located a 9mm pistol inside a box near the refrigerator. During the course of the investigation, it was revealed Echols is a prohibited possessor.

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Queen Creek man sentenced to 12 years in crossover crash

February 23, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Queen Creek man has been sentenced to a dozen years in prison for a crash that saw his vehicle cross the center line and seriously injure two victims, including a pregnant woman.

On January 23, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson sentenced Aziah Busing, 25, to 12 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by supervised probation.

Busing pled guilty to two counts of Aggravated Assault, both Class 3 Felonies.

In the early morning hours of January 1^st, 2022, Busing was the driver of a pickup truck that went left of the centerline and crashed “head on” with another vehicle, according to court documents. The two passengers in the other vehicle suffered serious injuries and were transported to the hospital. One of the victims was approximately 22 weeks pregnant at the time of the crash, which occurred near Ocotillo and Meridian Roads.

Lab results showed Busing had a BAC of 0.153 and an on-scene drug recognition expert noted signs of impairment.

The crash was investigated by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department.

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Mammoth man sentenced to 16 years for murder

February 22, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Mammoth man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for murder.

On January 9^th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Daniel Washburn sentenced Wesley Saunders, 32, to 16 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Saunders pled guilty to Second Degree Murder, a Class 1 Felony.

In March 2021, Mammoth police officers responded to a home and located a man who had been shot in the head. The victim, 29-year-old Dylan Price, was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Investigators located multiple people who had been at the residence and during the course of the investigation, identified Saunders as the shooting suspect.

This case was investigated by the Mammoth Police Department and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

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Phoenix man sentenced to 10 years for sexual offenses against minors

February 8, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(FLORENCE, AZ) - A Phoenix man was sentenced to ten years in prison for two separate sexual offenses against minors.

On February 6^th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg sentenced Eliezer Fernandez Hernandez, 30, to ten years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by lifetime probation.

Fernandez Hernandez pled guilty to Sexual Conduct with a Minor in the Second Degree, a Class Three Felony and Preparatory Dangerous Crime Against Children and Attempted Luring of a Minor for Sexual Exploitation, a Class Four Felony.

This sentence consists of two separate cases. One of the cases stems from a 2022 disclosure from a juvenile who reported Fernandez Hernandez had illicit sexual contact with her. In the second case, Fernandez Hernandez used Snapchat to coerce a juvenile into sending him sexually explicit images, according to court documents.

These cases were investigated by the Maricopa and Casa Grande Police Departments.

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Casa Grande man sentenced to 17 years for possessing sexually explicit images of children

February 7, 2023/in News, Significant Sentences

(Florence, AZ) - A Casa Grande man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for possessing sexually explicit images of children.

On February 6^th, 2023, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Steven Fuller sentenced Theodore Hildebrandt, 47, to 17 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime probation.

Hildebrandt pled guilty to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, a Class Two Felony and Dangerous Crime Against Children, and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in the Second Degree, a Class Three Felony and Preparatory Dangerous Crime Against Children.

This case was investigated by the Casa Grande Police Department and Department of Homeland Security Investigations personnel. In August 2021, a search warrant was served on Hildebrandt’s home and several electronic devices were collected. Upon analyzing the devices, investigators located sexually explicit images of children.

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