Category: Court News

A man allegedly hauling drugs across Interstate 40 reportedly blew through the Inspection Station at the California border, resulting in a traffic stop and drug bust inside Arizona. Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said MAGNET task force detectives were summoned following the Thursday, March 17 traffic stop about 65 miles west of Kingman. Mortensen said ADOT requested use of an MCSO K9 to assist with inspection of the commercial vehicle pulled over at mile post 3. “During the inspection, K9 Grimm alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the tractor,” she said. “Officers searched the commercial vehicle…

KINGMAN – Kingman police report the death of an off-duty DPS officer who was fighting with another man when he was struck by a vehicle Wednesday. The victim is identified as Leo Becenti Jr., 54. Kingman Police Chief Rusty Cooper said officers learned a man had been hit by a vehicle while responding to a 10:10 p.m. report of a disturbance in the 1900 block of Dawes Ave. He said arriving officers and medical personnel treated Becenti before he was transported to Kingman Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Cooper said Becenti had been involved in an altercation with…

Prostitution and money laundering suspected KINGMAN – A citizen complaint sparked a Kingman Police Department (KPD) investigation of suspected prostitution and money laundering activity related to alleged illegal massage parlor enterprises operating in Kingman. Officers seized cash, notes and ledgers and other possible evidence during Dec. 7 searches of five businesses and a home. A worried wife tipped off police in a July 16 letter. “The complainant stated that her husband has been frequenting Healthy Spa and he admitted to having sex with the owner identified as MIMI and other girls employed there,” the letter stated, according to court records….

MOHAVE COUNTY – The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit (SIU) is requesting the public’s assistance with identifying a previously unidentified female victim from a 1971 Homicide case. On January 23, 1971, the victim was located in the desert area near a dirt road, 2.2 miles east of US Hwy 93 on Hackberry Road. The victim was located in a canvas sack that had been tied at the top with a white cotton rope. The sack was a white cotton, loosely woven sack with the words “Deer-Pak Ames Harris Neville Co.,” printed in green. The female victim was described…