Operation Heavy Metal

During the summer of 2021, the Mesa Police Department and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office conducted an undercover operation to combat the surge in catalytic converter thefts in the City of Mesa. The operation involved undercover officers purchasing used and stolen catalytic converters from several suspects. Officers also sold catalytic converters to a suspect who bought them believing they were stolen.

In total, six suspects were identified with three arrested for a variety of criminal charges. The other three suspects have charges pending. The suspect who purchased the catalytic converters from undercover officers was also charged with commercial burglary at an auto recycler in Mesa. In this burglary, 141 catalytic converters were stolen with a value of over $40,000. This burglary also caused over $50,000 of damage to the property of the victim.

The Mesa Police Department is working diligently to combat the rising number of catalytic converter thefts in the city. This is a growing trend in the state and the City of Mesa is no exception. The following is statistical information on catalytic converter thefts in the City of Mesa from 2018 to present.

·         There were 2 stolen catalytic converter cases in 2018

 

·         There was 1 stolen catalytic converter case in 2019

 

·         There were 69 stolen catalytic converters cases in 2020

 

·         There have been 431 catalytic converter cases through 09/19/2021

In addition to this undercover operation, the Mesa Police Department also assisted in a catalytic converter marking event on September 13^th and 14^th where tips were given to the community on how to prevent the theft of their catalytic converter. Citizens had their catalytic converters etched to track and prevent theft of the catalytic converter in the future. Over 250 vehicles were able to have this process completed over a two-day period.

The Mesa Police Department is committed to working with our community partners to combat this issue.

 

Mesa Public Schools Employee Arrested

On May 10, 2021, the Mesa Police Department initiated an investigation into an inappropriate relationship between a Mesa Public Schools employee and a previous student from Skyline High School.  The victim, now 24 years old, came forward and reported to investigators that between the summer of 2012 through approximately October 2012 he was victimized by the suspect in this case, 39-year-old Jacob Zamora.  

When the victim was 15 years old and attending Skyline High School, Zamora was 30 years old. The victim told officers that he had multiple sexual encounters with Zamora and these encounters all occurred at the victim’s house. 

On September 2, 2021, investigators met with Zamora and conducted an interview.  During the interview Zamora admitted to having a sexual relationship with the victim in 2012 and to performing multiple sex acts involving the victim when he was a minor. 

Based on the testimony of the victim and Zamora, Mesa Police Investigators arrested and booked Zamora on 3 counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, a class 6 felony. 

Zamora is an auditorium manager at Skyline High School in Mesa.  He assists with lighting and stage events that occur at the auditorium at the school.  When Mesa Public Schools was advised of Zamora’s criminal allegations, he was assigned to home duties pending the outcome of Mesa Public Schools investigation into the matter. 

Based on Zamora’s history with this victim and him working in a school environment, investigators believe there is a possibility other students may have been victimized.  

The Mesa Police Department is asking anyone with information of similar type incidents involving Zamora to please contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-2211.