Category: Court News

Probation lasts 15 minutes as he pays fine A former Kingman area fire chief convicted of conflict of interest by a jury of his peers entered Friday’s sentencing hearing with the threat of jail hanging over his head. Wayne Eder, 55, and his throng of supporters left the Mohave County courthouse jubilant that a local judge imposed the most lenient sentence possible, boosting his hope of returning to the fire service industry to continue his career. Involved attorneys thought Eder would be placed on probation. Prosecutor James Schoppmann and defense attorney Lee Novak also said it would be proper to leave…

The former Chief of a politically volatile north Kingman fire district will be sentenced Friday following his April jury trial conflict of interest conviction. Wayne Eder, 55, is expected to be placed on probation, but prosecutor James Schoppmann is asking that he be sent to jail as well. Eder was serving as interim chief of the Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District (NACFD) and was an applicant for promotion to chief when he awarded district business to a company owned by Victor Riccardi, a board member who subsequently voted in favor of Eder’s promotion. Schoppmann argued Eder was “greasing the skids”…

A pregnant Bullhead City woman drew a prison sentence in her drug case last Friday, despite her attorney’s request for a chance at probation. Defense lawyer Scott Ruffner said his client Tracey Cayer, 43, is 16 weeks pregnant and deserves a chance to deliver her baby while out of custody. Ruffner told Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle that he can always send Cayer to prison if she violated terms of probation. And Ruffner said drugs found in a Mirada Drive apartment in November, 2017 belonged to her boyfriend at the time, Chase Salveson, 48. “The codefendant was the…

Attorneys conducted a tedious two-hour long evidentiary hearing Wednesday morning before taking less than five minutes making opening statements in a trial in which a Mohave Valley man faces multiple decades in prison if convicted of various drug and weapons offenses. Prosecutor Jaimye Ashley zipped through her presentation telling Mohave County Superior Court jurors they’ll have no trouble finding Joseph Carter, 42, guilty of all counts. She said officers seized an assortment of drugs and weapons when they executed a September, 2017 search warrant at the defendant’s home at 555 King Way in Mohave Valley.  Ashley said more than ten ounces…

Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert scolded a Bullhead City man for beating the mother of their child while injuring the four-month-old boy in the process last fall. Lambert, during a recent sentencing hearing in Kingman, told 47-year-old Jonah Ramos his criminal history is replete with violent behavior. “I don’t know what you’re so angry about, but you’re obviously a very angry man,” Lambert said. He imposed a five year prison sentence and encouraged Ramos to sort through and resolve his anger issues while behind bars. Ramos pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and child abuse by domestic violence involving…