Sahuarita Municipal Court

Cases were heard by Judge Maria Avilez on April 28 unless otherwise indicated. Information on the cases below came from the office of Town Prosecutor Chris Wencker.

Guillermo Angel Aguirre, 24, Tucson, took the standard plea bargain on a charge of driving on a suspended license, meaning he pleaded conditionally guilty and got a suspended fine of $562. By producing a valid license in court the defendant can plead guilty instead to the lesser charge of driving with no license in his possession and pay a fine of $143. He won dismissal of a charge of driving without insurance after he showed he had obtained a policy shortly after being cited.

Anthony Luis Flores, 37, Sahuarita, won dismissal of a suspended license charge by producing a valid license and pleading responsible to having no license in his possession. He was fined $143.

Justin Michael Carter, 21, Green Valley, won dismissal of all charges, including displaying a plate that was suspended for lack insurance and driving on a suspended license, when he showed

proof that his license suspension came about Tucson City Court made a mistake and he showed that he obtained registration soon after. Obtaining registration required him to prove that he had obtained insurance.

Tom J. Cruz, 24, Tucson, pleaded guilty to driving on a suspended license and was given fines and fees of $622. He won dismissal of a charge of no insurance when he showed valid insurance.

Casey Duncan Valdez, 39, Sahuarita, and Philip E. Goggin II, 30, Green Valley, each won dismissal of charges of disorderly conduct that came about because they were accused of fighting each other at the Green Valley Lanes bowling alley. Each defendant asked that the charges be dropped against the other.

Preston Shawn Gomez, 29, Tucson, pleaded responsible to running a red light and was fined $165 and took the standard deal on a charge of driving on a suspended license.

Emily Rose Adaptar Rios, 19, Tucson, was in custody and was seen by video court for a proposed probation revocation after she failed diversion on a criminal trespass charge. However, she had never been placed on probation and had been in custody since March 26, so the judge gave her time served and closed the case.

Paul Rojelio Villa-Acuna, 41, Tucson, showed up in Sahuarita Municipal Court, where he was informed that his case was being heard in Green Valley Justice Court, but had mistakenly been cited into both courts for displaying a fictitious plate, no insurance, no proof of registration and expired registration (separate charges). He was told by court personnel that Justice Court had issued a warrant for his arrest after he missed an April 3 court date there and court staff said a call over would be made to Judge Wight in Justice Court to point out that he did come to Sahuarita Municipal Court.

Jesus Hughes Espinoza, 53, Rio Rico, showed a valid new license and won dismissal of a charge of driving on a canceled license. He instead pleaded no license in his possession and was fined $143. He tried to argue that because he had a commercial drivers license, he should have been allowed to drive on the canceled license, but the court did not accept that argument.

William Rodriguez Torres, 34, Green Valley, pleaded responsible to not having current registration and was fined $143. He was assigned to defensive driving school on a speeding charge.

David Enos Alvarez, 29, Tucson, pleaded guilty to domestic violence/disorderly conduct from an incident in October, 2007 and was given a suspended fine at what was then the standard amount of $262, was ordered to pay $90 already owed in fines and must complete DV counseling within 12 months. He was given 12 months of probation. Other charges were dismissed.

James Murphy Brocas, 49, Englewood, Col., was given a diversion on domestic violence/assault, DV/criminal damage and three counts of DV/disorderly conduct and was given suspended fines totaling $1,654 and has 12 months to complete alcohol and DV counseling. He was allowed to do it in Colorado. He was accused of attacking family members in Sahuarita.

Roxanne Montijo-Monroy, 41, Tucson, who was in custody and was seen by video court, pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to appear and was sentenced to time served on each.

Shawn Patrick Fisher, 21, Sahuarita, who was seen by video court, was released after he apologized for his actions the previous week when had been jailed for telling the judge his saying his family came before his court obligations. His family showed up to the latest court date. The judge ruled that the week in jail was his sentence. He was set for a June 2 hearing on his charges of driving on a suspended license; shoplifting, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and underage drinking.

John Cole Sharp, 49, Sahuarita, who faces a biting animal charge, was set for a bench trial on May 21 at 9 a.m. The allegation is that his 8-year old Belgian malinois dog jumped above a fence and bit a landscaper in a neighbor’s yard. He has since put the dog down.

Jessica Cole Follansbee, 19, Sahuarita, who had two cases of domestic violence/assault and one charge of DV/disorderly conduct, was ordered to seek psychiatric treatment in an informal diversion, and was set for a July 28 status conference. The court was assisted by the presence of Dan Haley, Criminal Justice Specialist with the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, a non-profit agency that provides assistance to several courts in dealing with defendants who need mental health services.

Arrests and Citations

Matthew O. Evangelista, 18, Sahuarita, April 19 at 7 a.m. was cited for DUI and failure to yield while making a left turn from Stronghold Canyon Lane to Campbell Avenue. At one point he told police he had been the designated driver for his friends and had not been drinking, then said he had been drinking the night before, then said he had been playing beer pong after the prom the night before. Beer pong is a game in which hitting a Ping-Pong ball into a beer glass on your opponent’s side of the table requires him to drink a beer.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738