Latest news with #MaricopaCountyAttorney'sOffice
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
3 sentenced for deadly 2023 Tempe drive-by shooting
The Brief Three men were sentenced for a deadly drive-by shooting in Tempe back in March 2023. A boy, 5, was killed and a teen boy and girl were injured in the shooting near 48th Street and Broadway Road. TEMPE, Ariz. - Three men were sentenced for their roles in a deadly Tempe drive-by shooting that killed a little boy and injured a teen and young girl. What we know In March 2023, Alfred Gary, Freddy Patterson and Charles Adams pulled up alongside a black Chevrolet Impala at a red light near 48th Street and Broadway Road in Tempe. Seven people were inside the Impala, mostly kids and teens, and they shot more than 20 rounds into it. A five-year-old boy was killed, and a 17-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl were injured. "The defendants then picked up dinner before returning to the crime scene to take a video, which they used to brag about the shooting with fellow gang members," the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said. Documented gang members, Patterson and Adams, had an issue with a rival gang member inside the Impala. "All three defendants pleaded guilty to a range of felony offenses, including second-degree murder, drive-by shooting, conspiracy to commit a drive-by shooting, and aggravated assault. Gary was sentenced to 16 years in prison, while Patterson and Adams were each sentenced to 30 years in prison," MCAO said. Patterson and Adams had another five years tacked onto their sentences because of a drive-by shooting that happened two days earlier. They shot into a car with a mother and her kids inside – no one was hurt.
West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Influencer Emilie Kiser sues to keep information about son Trigg's death private
Influencer Emilie Kiser has moved to keep details about her son's drowning tragedy private, launching legal action to permanently bar the public release of records about the three-year-old's death. Trigg Kiser died after being pulled unconscious from a backyard swimming pool on May 12. First responders administered CPR at the home before rushing him to hospital in a critical condition. He died six days later. Ms Kiser has now asked the Arizona Superior Court to block government agencies, including the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and that of the medical examiner to keep their records about the death under wraps, claiming they could be used as a 'weapon of emotional harm'. Known for her lifestyle content on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Kiser has more than 4.6 million followers across her online platforms. She also has a two-month-old son, Theodore, with husband Brady Kiser. 'Emilie is going through a parent's worst nightmare right now,' the lawsuit reads. 'She lost her young son, her three-year-old Trigg Chapman Kiser on May 18, 2025, following a heartbreaking accidental drowning at the family's home on May 12, 2025. 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, two-month-old Theodore. But every day is a battle. 'Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them. Trigg's death has become a media frenzy. Appallingly, 100+ public record requests have been filed with both the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. 'The records requested presumably reveal graphic, distressing, and intimate details of Trigg's death that have no bearing on government accountability. To allow disclosure in these circumstances would be to turn Arizona's Public Records Law into a weapon of emotional harm, rather than a tool of government transparency.' Ms Kiser has pleaded with the court to order authorities to permanently bar the release of their records to the public, to avoid a 'profound invasion of privacy'. In Arizona police reports and 911 calls are considered public record, but a a court can rule to keep public records private if the release could cause 'substantial and irreparable private or public harm'. Chandler Police Department spokesperson Sonu Wasu told People the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Trigg's death is ongoing. 'Out of respect for the family's privacy, we will not be releasing additional details until the investigation is closed.'
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
‘Weapon of emotional harm': Influencer sues over son's death
Influencer Emilie Kiser has moved to keep details about her son's drowning tragedy private, launching legal action to permanently bar the public release of records about the three-year-old's death. Trigg Kiser died after being pulled unconscious from a backyard swimming pool on May 12. First responders administered CPR at the home before rushing him to hospital in a critical condition. He died six days later. Ms Kiser has now asked the Arizona Superior Court to block government agencies, including the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and that of the medical examiner to keep their records about the death under wraps, claiming they could be used as a 'weapon of emotional harm'. Known for her lifestyle content on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Kiser has more than 4.6 million followers across her online platforms. She also has a two-month-old son, Theodore, with husband Brady Kiser. Trigg Kiser was pulled unconscious from a backyard pool. Credit: Instagram 'Emilie is going through a parent's worst nightmare right now,' the lawsuit reads. 'She lost her young son, her three-year-old Trigg Chapman Kiser on May 18, 2025, following a heartbreaking accidental drowning at the family's home on May 12, 2025. 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, two-month-old Theodore. But every day is a battle. 'Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them. Trigg's death has become a media frenzy. Appallingly, 100+ public record requests have been filed with both the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. 'The records requested presumably reveal graphic, distressing, and intimate details of Trigg's death that have no bearing on government accountability. To allow disclosure in these circumstances would be to turn Arizona's Public Records Law into a weapon of emotional harm, rather than a tool of government transparency.' Ms Kiser has pleaded with the court to order authorities to permanently bar the release of their records to the public, to avoid a 'profound invasion of privacy'. In Arizona police reports and 911 calls are considered public record, but a a court can rule to keep public records private if the release could cause 'substantial and irreparable private or public harm'. Chandler Police Department spokesperson Sonu Wasu told People the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Trigg's death is ongoing. 'Out of respect for the family's privacy, we will not be releasing additional details until the investigation is closed.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man sentenced to 174 years in prison for prostituting a runaway teen
The Brief Leroy Ellis Jr., 32, was sentenced to 174 years in prison for forcing a runaway teen into prostitution, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said on May 29. The teen was commended by county attorney Rachel Mitchell for testifying in the suspect's trial by jury. MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A 32-year-old man was sentenced to nearly two centuries in prison for forcing a runaway teen to work as a prostitute, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said. What we know Leroy Ellis Jr. was sentenced to 174 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of child sex trafficking and committing a dangerous crime against children. "In 2022, the victim – who was 15 at the time - traveled from California to Arizona after meeting Ellis on Facebook. After she arrived in Phoenix, Ellis groomed her to start working for him as a prostitute right after her 16th birthday," the county attorney's office said on May 29. "The victim testified that over the next several months she gave everything she earned from sex to the defendant. On at least two occasions, she had sex so Ellis would have money to pay for his son's birthday party and buy presents." MCAO says texts between the victim and Ellis show that he would approve her "dates" and the prices. The office also says she was "branded" with tattoos of Ellis' name and nickname in large letters. Those tattoos were seen in photos he'd post online for "sex advertisements." "This woman showed incredible bravery by testifying about how she was manipulated and victimized by the defendant," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "Thank you to the Phoenix Police detectives who rescued her from a life of prostitution, and to the prosecution team in my office for finding justice for this woman who has been so horribly abused." What you can do Click here to learn more about resources in Arizona for trafficking victims.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arizona woman gets years in prison for using stolen identity to get health care
A Maricopa County woman was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison and ordered to pay restitution after she accumulated nearly $300,000 in medical bills using a stolen identity, prosecutors said. Between September 2022 and March 2024, Shannon Lee Smith, 48, used another woman's name to fraudulently obtain medical care from various hospitals and ambulance providers, according to a statement from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. The woman discovered her identity had been stolen when she received a bill from her insurance company for services she never received, the County Attorney's Office statement said. Smith received care at the Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, according to her indictment. She was ordered to repay Honor Health, Maricopa Ambulance, Radiology Partners, Mayo Clinic and Aetna, the insurance company, according to her plea agreement. "The impact of identity theft goes far beyond the financial implications," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "It takes away a victim's peace of mind and leaves them to deal with the fallout of having false information tied to their name. I am proud of the work our prosecution team has done to hold the defendant accountable and allow the victim to start reclaiming her life." Victimized: Arizonans' stolen personal information used in large-scale fraud scheme This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona woman gets prison for using stolen identity for health care
