Category: Court News

GOLDEN VALLEY – A Golden Valley woman escaped a hammer beating inflicted by her former boyfriend, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s office. Spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said the 41-year-old victim told authorities that she left a residence in the 3700 block of Emery Park Road after arguing with Zachary Krehbiel, 33, on January 27. Mortensen said her vehicle ran out of gas on Estrella Road and that the victim was walking back to the home when she saw Krehbiel run toward her. “The victim alleged that Krehbiel then grabbed her and began hitting her in the face with a hammer,”…

KINGMAN – A 15.5-year prison term has been ordered for a Modesto, California man who stole property from the Good Samaritan who gave him a place to stay, beat his wife in Dolan Springs and fired bullets at Mohave County Sheriff’s office deputies. The punishment for Wendell Odom, 37, was mandated in a plea agreement that Judge Billy Sipe “reluctantly” approved before sentencing in Kingman Wednesday. Investigation began last March when Dolan Springs resident Vaughan Hargave reported a firearm had been stolen when Odom left his property. Deputies learned that Odom had been abusing his wife and they encountered gunfire…

KINGMAN – A 5.5-year prison term was imposed January 22 for a Fort Mohave man arrested for drug and weapon offenses after a traffic stop last summer. The punishment imposed by Judge Doug Camacho was mandated in a plea agreement. Mohave County Sheriff’s reports indicated Steven Anthony Galeana was pulled over for expired registration at 3:20 a.m. on July 4 at the intersection of River Valley Road and River Valley Place. Officers reportedly confiscated a handgun, 26 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Galeana pleaded guilty to misconduct involving weapons as a prohibited possessor. He also pleaded guilty to theft…

KINGMAN – A Parker man who caused an inmate health and contamination scare at the Mohave County Adult Detention Center is being sent to the Arizona Department of Corrections. Judge Doug Camacho ordered a 13.5-year prison term during a recent hearing for Jonathan Hutchinson, 24. Authorities said Hutchinson used his body cavity to smuggle illegal drugs into the jail facility in downtown Kingman last spring. “Investigation revealed that Hutchinson had smuggled into the detention facility approximately 30 counterfeit Hydrocodone 30 mg pills and an unknown amount of methamphetamine,” a news release said. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said crime lab…

MOHAVE COUNTY – Three more suspects have been arrested in a Mohave County Sheriff’s Office sting operation targeting sexual predators of minor children. The defendants charged with sexual exploitation of a minor related offenses are identified as Gregory Schutte and Michael Shaw, 29 and both of Kingman and Daniel Saguchi-Cazares, 26, Fort Mohave. The Sheriff’s Office has been using a male detective posing as a teenage girl engaging in text and online communication with sexually solicitous men. “During the past 14 months that we have been conducting these operations we have charged 22 individuals with internet crimes against children,” said…