Category: Court News

A Lake Havasu City man who resolved five criminal cases in a single plea agreement has been given a nine year prison term. Punishment imposed for Gaige Martinez, 21, was mandated under terms of the deal approved by Judge Billy Sipe. Charges from a dine and dash caper and another criminal case were dismissed in exchange for Martinez’ guilty pleas in three others. Defense attorney Brad Rideout said driving, drug, and alcohol involvements are consistent in Martinez’ criminal history. “He made some pretty bad decisions, all of them involving vehicles and drugs or alcohol,” Rideout said at the June 24…

A Lake Havasu City man who allegedly engaged in a mini crime wave in Mohave Valley faces an assortment of criminal charges. The Mohave County Sheriff’s office reports the Wednesday arrest of Richard Anderson, 21. Agency spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said deputies responded at 4:22 p.m. to a shoplifting report at a business in the 1000 block of Highway 95. The reporting party advised that a subject later identified as Anderson took merchandise without paying before he entered a neighboring business. Mortensen said Anderson grabbed a tip jar from the second business and that employees who tried to stop the theft feared…

A man who was staring down the barrel of a life prison sentence if convicted of molesting his own daughters sobbed uncontrollably as a Mohave County Superior Court clerk read back verdicts that affirmed his freedom late Thursday afternoon. The jury deliberated less than a half hour before acquitting Dennis Sharkey, 34, of nine charges of child molestation, sexual conduct with a minor and sexual assault of a minor. Prosecutor Greg McPhillips said the alleged victims were 12 and 14 years old when they engaged in sexual activity with the defendant in June of last year at the family’s former…

A Bullhead City man who accosted and robbed a customer in a grocery store parking lot has entered a plea agreement resolving his criminal case short of trial. Bullhead City police said Steven Alexander Picard, 29, confronted the customer outside Smith’s Food & Drug on Lakeside Drive on March 31. Police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt said a struggle ensued during which Picard was able to forcibly remove the victim’s wallet from one of his pant pockets. The victim was not injured, Picard fled the scene and police later posted his image from surveillance video from the store. Fromelt said police were…

Her attorney told the Court that Brianna Thompson of Lake Havasu City will use her time behind bars to work on her sobriety and build a platform for a drug free future. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle told Thompson, 26, she’ll need to continue that commitment once she gains her release from the Arizona Department of Corrections. The five year prison term Carlisle imposed June 18 was mandated in a plea agreement convicting her of several felony offenses while a multitude of other charges are dismissed. Thompson was convicted of possession of narcotic drugs for sale related to a July,…

A local man was arrested after an attempted robbery of a business in Fort Mohave Tuesday. Deputies responded at 5:50 p.m. to the unidentified business in the 4700 block of Highway 95. The Mohave County Sheriff’s office said employees indicated that the suspect identified as Augustine Gabriel Lewis, 39, entered the business and immediately looked around nervously before pulling out a knife as he approached the counter. Spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said another employee went to the back of the business and called for help. Mortensen said Lewis fled through another door after spotting the arriving deputy approaching to enter the…