Category: Court News

Groping a stranger at the Kingman Walmart brings a two-year prison term for James Powell. The 33-year-old Kingman man was sentenced March 18 by Mohave County Court Commissioner Billy Sipe. It will be Powell’s fifth trip to prison. Defense attorney Nathan Best said Powell suffers mental health and drug abuse issues that can better be treated if he is on probation. “There must be something we can do other than keep sentencing Mr. Powell to prison over and over again,” Best said. Judge Sipe rejected Best’s probation request. In addition to an extensive juvenile criminal history, Judge Sipe noted that Powell’s…

The Bullhead City Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying an outstanding armed robbery suspect captured on bank surveillance video.  On Tuesday, March 26 at approximately 4:50 p.m., a man entered the National Bank of Arizona, 1900 block of Highway 95, told the teller he had a gun and to put all the money in a duffle bag that he had on the counter. The suspect then left on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. If anyone has any information, please contact the Bullhead City Police Department at 928-763-1999.

Attempted entry of a plea agreement in a bizarre episode of violence in Bullhead City was recently postponed when the defendant disputed the recitation of the facts of the case provided by Deputy Mohave County Attorney Karolina Czaplinska. Czaplinska said that Luis Romero, 26, Bullhead City, and two unidentified males pulled behind a vehicle that was parked in the 2000 block of Highway 95 last Sept. She told Mohave County Superior Court Commissioner Billy Sipe that Romero approached the vehicle and assaulted the front seat passenger through an open window. Czaplinska said that the 22-year-old male victim retreated to the…

A Bullhead City woman held on criminal charges will also be prosecuted for assaulting a corrections officer following a disturbance at the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility in Kingman. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said the violence broke out last Friday at 10:20 a.m. Mortensen said Lisa Marie Jamison, 38, ignored a female officer’s directive to inmates to return to their cells. “Jamison began yelling at staff that she would not lock down, lunged at the staff member and a fight ensued,” Mortensen said. “The victim delivered fist strikes in an attempt to defend herself. A second officer responded and…

A Lake Havasu City man was arrested after police seized drugs during a search of his home in the 1100 block of Rolling Hills Drive. Police said a two-month investigation of suspected drug sales from the residence led to the March 21 search at 10:20 p.m. “Usable amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana were located, along with items of drug paraphernalia and a firearm,” a news release stated. 54-year-old Herbert Kuerner was arrested and charged with possession of dangerous drugs, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, weapons misconduct, and two counts of sale of dangerous…

EDITOR’S NOTE: The names of the defendant and the Judge, some dates and geographic references are omitted from this story in an attempt to preserve the confidential identity of a law enforcement informant. Revelation that the defendant he was about to send to prison had been working with law enforcement as a confidential informant for five years changed a local judge’s sentencing determination  at recent hearings in Mohave County Superior Court. “This is probably one of the most unusual sentencing hearings I have ever done,” the judge said. He said he began the proceeding thinking he would impose the maximum…