This week, four Mexican citizens were convicted of drug crimes in Phoenix.  The men were charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine.  After a trial in the U.S. District Court in Phoenix, all were convicted by a federal jury. 

According to prosecutors, two members of the small crime ring were also convicted for felons in possession of a firearm charges. 

The drug crime charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison.  Additionally, the man may be asked to pay up to $4 million in monetary finds.  The firearm charges could result in five years to life in prison as well as $250,000 in fines.   All are expected to be sentenced in October.

The four men were caught when they tried to sell methamphetamine to undercover agents in August of 2009.

Were you arrested for a felony offense, such as possession of a firearm, in Phoenix?  If so, discuss your case with a Phoenix criminal defense attorney by contacting the Knowles Law Firm.

Phoenix police were called to the scene of a shooting last Friday afternoon when shots were heard. One person was killed and another injured.  A 22-year-old Hispanic male was transported to the Maricopa Medical Center after being shot in the leg.  

According to police reports, two male Hispanics and two black males met at a home in South Phoenix and an argument broke out in the carport. The incident was presumed to be drug related as approximately 120 lbs of what appeared to be marijuana was found in the trunk of a car. Two suspects fled the scene.

Facing Drug Charges in or around Phoenix?

If you or someone you know has been charged for involvment in a drug crime, you should contact our office immediately and to speak with an attorney about your rights and options following a drug arrest. A  Phoenix drug crimes defense lawyer at the Knowles Law Firm can ensure your rights are protected and that aggressive defense measures are taken to increase your chances of resolving your case successfully. Call us today at 888-332-5621 .

When deputies from the Coconino Sheriff’s Department were called to a home in Williams to investigate reports of domestic abuse, the last thing they expected to find was dozens of marijuana plants.  

While the deputies were talking to the couple on their front porch, they could smell burning marijuana. The couple told the deputies they had been smoking marijuana just before they arrived, but both Roy Maciejewski and Mary Ann Schmidt were arrested and taken into custody.

The next day, the deputies and the Northern Arizona Street Crimes Task Force returned with a search warrant. Inside the home they found a special light for growing immature marijuana plants and more than 50 mature plants in a hidden room off the garage. The deputies also found marijuana plants drying throughout the house.

Both Maciejewski and Schmidt have been charged with possession of marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of a dangerous drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Drug offenses are taken very seriously in the state of Arizona, so seriously in fact that it’s imperative to contact an experienced drug defense lawyer if you’ve been arrested in connection with a drug crime. At the Knowles Law Firm, we have extensive experience in Arizona criminal law, and have helped many clients successfully fight their drug charges. We understand the consequences a conviction carries, and are dedicated to using our experience, resources, and knowledge of the law to help our clients beat their charges.

For more information about our drug defense services, please contact the Knowles Law Firm today to schedule an appointment with a   Phoenix drug crimes lawyer at the office.

Six people were arrested after police raided what turned out to be a drug stash house in West Phoenix.

A task force led by the Arizona Department of Public Safety raided the house last week after police received a 911 call. After raiding what they thought was just a drop house, police soon discovered a large stash of marijuana—400 pounds to be exact.

Also recovered in the raid were two semiautomatic handguns and an assault rifle.

According the Department of Public Safety, six people were taken into custody and booked on possession of marijuana for sale and misconduct involving weapons.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested a Nogales woman who allegedly tried to smuggle 1.5 pounds of crystal meth across the Arizona border in a powered milk can.

The woman, whose name was not immediately available for release, was arrested last week. Border patrol was screening pedestrians at the Nogales entry port and thought the woman looked suspicious.

Upon searching the woman they found a plastic bag of crystal meth hidden inside the bottom of a milk can. Officers believe the street value of the meth is more than $70,000.

Border patrol seized the drugs and the woman was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She faces further investigation and will likely be prosecuted on drug smuggling and drug possession charges.

Contact a Phoenix Drug Defense Attorney for Help!

Drug smuggling is one of the most serious drug crimes you can be charged with. Drug smuggling is a federal offense, which means you will face intense prosecution by U.S. attorneys who are backed by years of experience and seemingly endless resources from the U.S. government, including assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI, and federal immigration authorities. When faced with drug smuggling charges, you need a Phoenix drug crime defense lawyer who can protect your best interests and aggressively defend you against the charges at hand. To learn more about the drug defense services offered at the Knowles Law Firm, P.C., please contact the office today, toll free, by calling (888) 332-5621.

Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa) is proposing new legislation designed to help fight the drug smuggling problem in Arizona.

If Senate Bill 1026 becomes law, the Department of Public Safety would need to seek grant funding to install high-tech underground seismic sensors at rural airfields.  These sensors would then be used to monitor areas being used for drug and human smuggling around the Mexican border.

Pearce feels that if the federal government will not build a fence to stop the problem, then the state of Arizona needs to take action.  He also claims the bill would not cost the state anything, as federal stimulus money is available.  If federal money was not available, or if the state could not obtain federal money, the program wouldn’t launch.

Critics of the legislation feel it could overburden the DPS, which is already stretched thin with budget cuts and hiring freezes.  Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor (D-Phoenix), for example, is concerned that the DPS does not have enough resources to comply with the law. 

DPS officials are also concerned.  Lt. Lynn Ideus said the time it would take just to identify the state’s remote landing strips and write grant proposals would be a huge undertaking for the department.

However, supporters of the legsilstion say that if the DPS doesn’t have the man power or resources to get these sensors set up, they could ask for help from county sheriffs and volunteers.

The bill was passed by the Senate Public Safety on Human Services Committee with a 6-0 vote.  It now goes on to the Senate Rules Committee.

If you are interested in learning more about these or any other drug crime laws in Arizona, an experienced Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at the Knowles Law Firm, PLC would be more than happy to answer your questions.

Contact the Knowles Law Firm, PLC today!

Two separate traffic stops resulted in the discovery of more than 10 pounds of cocaine and more than two pounds of crystal methamphetamine.

The first arrested took place on December 30, when officers from the Department of Public Safety pulled over a GMC pickup truck on Interstate 10 about 50 miles west of Phoenix.

While searching the vehicle, officers found 10.34 pounds of cocaine hidden in speaker box behind a seat.

The driver, 33-year-old Francisco Enrique Ozuna, was arrested and charged with transporting cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale, and illegal control of an enterprise.

The second traffic stop took place January 3 on Interstate 40 near Holbrook.

DPS officers pulled over two vehicles that appeared to be traveling together.  With permission, the officers searched the vehicles and found 2.25 pounds of crystal meth in the spare tire of one of the vehicles.

Frank Fernando Canez of Phoenix was arrested for possession of dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, and transportation of dangerous drugs for sale.  The driver of the second vehicle, Rafael Cardenas-Uriarte, a Mexican national, was also arrested.  He faces charges for possession of dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, transportation of dangerous drugs for sale, conspiracy, and child abuse (there was a 1-year-old child in his vehicle).

Both men were booked in the Navajo County Jail.