Category: Court News

A Needles man who entered a mandatory prison plea agreement resolving one criminal case faces scores more years in prison in four other cases still pending in Mohave County Superior Court.  Matthew Solari, 31, is the latest of eight defendants to plead guilty for their involvement in a Bullhead City-based opioid ring.    That case is being resolved with the guilty pleas Solari entered April 8 for possession of a narcotic drug and attempted forgery. The Arizona Attorney General’s office said Solari engaged in fraudulent use of a false prescription to illegally obtain drugs from a grocery store pharmacy in Lake Havasu City…

A Bullhead City man has entered a plea agreement involving a vicious beating last fall. Luis Romero, 26, accepted the deal April 5 after previously balking during a March 25 change of plea hearing.    Prosecutor Amy Gardner offered a more concise factual basis of the case than was detailed during the March hearing. Gardner told Judge Billy Sipe that the September 21, 2018 assault occurred in the 2000 block of Highway 95.    Gardner said that the victim suffered severe blows to the head when repeatedly struck by Romero. She said blood gushed from the head of the man who was…

An elderly Bullhead City man who tried to hook up with a teenager decided to resolve his criminal case short of trial following an April 5 settlement conference. It was revealed that George Lizotte, 72, was offered a plea agreement that mandates imposition of a 5-10 year prison sentence.    Prosecutor Greg McPhillips said Lizotte sought sex from a person he thought was a 13-year-old girl. He said the communication began on a social media site and continued through text message exchanges.     During last week’s hearing Lizotte was informed he would face a 25-90-year prison term if convicted at trial…

A Bullhead City man who admits sexually motivated touching of his step-grand daughter asked for probation during his sentencing hearing April 5. Pedro Martinez, 75, told Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle that he hoped to return home to his wife after spending more than a half year in the county jail.     Judge Carlisle ordered a six year prison term and lifelong sex offender registration for Martinez. Martinez pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted molestation of a child under the age of 12.    Bullhead City police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt said the offenses occurred years ago and that…

The former chief of a north Kingman-based rural fire district faces possible incarceration following conviction at trial in Mohave County Superior Court. The jury deliberated for about thirty minutes Friday before finding Wayne Eder, 55, guilty of conflict of interest, a class 6 felony.    Eder was interim chief and was an applicant to be hired as full time chief when he was involved in having a repair shop owned by governing board member Vic Riccardi attempt to fix a Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District (NACFD) brush truck in April, 2017. Authorities alleged Eder was trying to “grease the skids” with Riccardi…

Police have distributed surveillance system images of a suspect who robbed a Bullhead City bank Friday. They show a white male entering the Mission Bank branch at 1455 Palma Way at about 9:30 a.m.   Police say the man who wore a beanie, mask, dark shirt and jeans told a bank teller he had a gun. The bandit fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, leaving the scene in a silver passenger vehicle.   No one was hurt in the robbery.   Anyone with information is asked to call the Bullhead City police department (928-763-1999).