AZMEX UPDATE 5 OCT 2017
New Tucson Sector Chief of CBP
Wednesday, October 4th 2017, 5:50 pm MST
Wednesday, October 4th 2017, 6:57 pm MST
By Kevin Adger, Reporter
http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36524574/new-tucson-sector-chief-of-cbp
NOGALES, AZ (Tucson News Now) -
There's a new top agent in charge at the Tucson Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Chief Rudolfo Karisch took over officially on August 20. He has been with U.S. Customs and Border Protection for more than 31 years, coming to Arizona from Texas.
Wednesday, Oct. 4, he spoke with the local media for the first time at the Tucson sector headquarters on Swan and Golf Links.
"This is an enormous area compared to where I came from, lots of challenges especially the terrain out here with the mountains but I believe it's important for the community to know what we are doing," said new Tucson Sector Chief Rudolfo Karisch.
Tucson News Now spoke with him about concerns the Nogales border community has.
"The more west you get, they get into more problems with drug runners and illegals in that tearing up their country tearing up the water line and tearing up the fences," said Karisch. "I often say this and it's something that's painful of us to hear but we have the appetite in this country if we want to stop drug flow we have to reduce the appetite for drugs but we throw every available piece of technology - aircraft, and agents whether they be on foot, ATV, or horses to patrol these areas."
Nogales Mayor John Doyle would talk to the chief about community involvement.
"We are trying to see how we can work together for the agents to be more on the community to get their families involved," said Mayor Doyle.
For those whose main concern is border security, Chief Karisch has some plans in place to address that.
"I have liked the operations from some areas because of limitations of where stations are built," said Chief Karisch. "I think we're a little too far from the border. We need to actually get closer, but I will be making those adjustments as we move forward."
END
Note: Santa Cruz county be tough on crime. "were designated non-dangerous offenses" "to be served concurrently"
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Fifth home invasion suspect sentenced to prison
• Nogales International
• Oct 3, 2017 Updated Oct 3, 2017
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/fifth-home-invasion-suspect-sentenced-to-prison/article_517ede8e-a84f-11e7-a593-a7feff7ec6e1.html
A fifth suspect in a violent home invasion at a Nogales home last January was sentenced to five years in state prison earlier this month for his involvement in the incident.
Isaac Chaparro, who previously pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and one count of first-degree burglary, both Class 2 felony offenses,
was sentenced Sept. 5 by Pima County Superior Judge James E. Marner to five years in prison for each offense, to be served concurrently (at the same time).
He was given credit for 574 days already spent in jail.
Marner served as a visiting judge in the case, which is in the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz County Superior Court.
Because the crimes were designated non-dangerous offenses, Chaparro will be eligible for parole after completing 85 percent of his sentence.
Several other charges, including aggravated assault with a weapon, were dismissed as part of his plea deal.
According to his pre-sentence report, Chaparro told a probation officer during an interview on Aug. 28 that he was "not in my five senses"
when he and three others broke into a home on West Wise Street on Jan. 28, 2016 to steal marijuana.
"I know if I was, I wouldn't have done it," he said. "I feel bad not being with my kids. I feel bad for the victims."
The assailants, dressed in tactical gear and armed with long rifles and handguns, forced their way into the residence and confronted several people,
including a man holding a 2-month-old infant, who was hit on the head with the muzzle of a gun after he refused to put the baby down.
While searching the home for drugs, which they didn't find,
one of the suspects – who informants later identified as Chaparro – fired his weapon after he unexpectedly encountered someone barricaded in a bedroom in the back of the home.
Chaparro, 24, was arrested on Feb. 9, 2016 in Tucson, where he was staying with his sister, two days after police arrested his brother, Juan Ricardo Chaparro, and two others.
After his arrest, the pre-sentence report states, Chaparro allegedly agreed to speak with officers without the presence of an attorney.
However, the interview was cut short after officers realized he "was more interested in learning what information law enforcement had on the case" than cooperating with the investigation.
Despite acknowledging his involvement in the burglary, Chaparro blamed his arrest on those he claimed ratted him out to police.
"I'm here because the people the police interviewed told them I was involved. They all put the blame on me," he told the probation officer.
"Now I know who my friends are. I manned up and said what I did, they didn't.
They said they were high and the police believed them and they got away with it."
He added that there were roughly 10 people involved in the assault, though only seven were arrested in the end.
Asked what sentence he thought the court should impose, Chaparro told the probation officer that after being locked up for "22 months, 23 hours in lockdown,"
which he said afforded him the opportunity to become sober, he hoped the judge would give him a second chance.
"I ask for a second opportunity, we all make mistakes," he said. "I know I can come out ahead in life. I thought a lot and I know I can do good."
However, one of the victims told the court that she lost her home after the incident because the person she was renting from ended the lease after being questioned by police,
and she's struggled to get back on her feet.
She added that though she has known many of the defendants since they were children, she felt a prison sentence of three-to-seven years wasn't enough.
"I trust justice will be done as it should be," she said.
Four of Chaparro's co-defendants have been sentenced.
Gabriel Maldonado was sentenced on July 17 by Judge Thomas Fink to five years in state prison for one count of kidnapping and one count of first-degree burglary.
Fink also sentenced Miguel Huerta Zuniga in March to 10 years for burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Armando Ruiz Valencia and Joe Leneer Valencia, who were identified by informants as the people who planned the Jan. 28 home invasion
based on false information that there were 300 pounds of marijuana being stored in the home,
were sentenced in November 2016 to six and 2.5 years in prison, respectively.
Charges are still pending against Juan Ricardo Chaparro and Priscilla Coronado.
end
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