Mesa Police Make Two Huge Drug Busts- On Same Day

On November 9, 2022, the Mesa Police Department’s Street Crimes Units made two huge drug busts, seizing various illegal drugs such as Fentanyl pills and powder, Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine. The two cases were unrelated to each other, but each provided large amounts of illegal drugs and drug related items.

In the first case, Fiesta and Red Mountain Street Crimes Units arrested 42-year-old Raymond Rivera Carbrera and seized the following:

Approximately 28, 500 Fentanyl pills

Approximately 7.5 ounces of Methamphetamine

Approximately 2 grams of Cocaine

$3, 183 in US Currency

1 Kel-Tec 9mm handgun with magazines and boxes of ammunition

Raymond Rivera Cabrera
$150,750 bond

The second case was one of the largest Fentanyl Pill drug bust in the Mesa Police Department and was made by Central and Super Street Crimes Units. They arrested three people, 36-year-old Jesus Rojas Romero, 20-year-old Alex Ruiz, and 22-year-old Christian Valles Castro. The following items were seized (an estimated street value of over $4.4 million dollars):  

714, 300 Fentanyl pills

3.5 lbs. Fentanyl powder

6 lbs. of Methamphetamine

3.6 lbs. Heroin

2 lbs. Cocaine

$17, 039 in US currency

Largest Drug Bust in Mesa PD history

Drugs put into evidence before taking the above photo

Alex Ruiz
 $750,000 bond

Jesus Rojas-Romero
$10,000 bond

Christian Valles Castro
$10,000 bond

Both of these cases were worked with help from Mesa SWAT and the Organized Crime Section of the Mesa Police Department. Officers gathered intelligence and conducted surveillance, which ultimately led them to write and serve search warrants, granting them access to remove these illegal drugs and related items off of the streets.

If you or anyone you know are struggling with addiction, one resource that may help is Community Bridges or call  (877) 931-9142.

Arrest Made in Double Homicide

 

Mesa Police Make an Arrest in Double Homicide

Mesa, AZ – (November 10^th, 2022, 11:00am) Mesa Police have arrested 44-year-old Johnel Trinidad for the double homicide that occurred on 11/01/2022 at 124 N 67^th Street in Mesa.

On 11/01/2022 at around 11:15pm, Mesa Police received several calls about shots being fired at 124 N 67^th Street in Mesa. When officers arrived, they found the victims Ronnie Lazalde and his wife Natishia Lazalde under a stairwell outside of an apartment. Both Ronnie and Natishia had suffered gunshot wounds. Ronnie was pronounced deceased at the scene and Natishia was transported to the hospital where she died at around 1:20am.

Detectives determined through their investigation that Natishia was with Johnel in an apartment when Natishia’s son came over for a visit. Johnel and the son got into a verbal argument and all three of them walked outside where Ronnie joined in the argument. As the argument continued, Johnel pulled a weapon and fired at Ronnie and the son. The son then pulled his own gun and fired at Johnel while he was running away. When the shooting stopped, Ronnie and Natishia had both suffered what turned out to be fatal wounds and Johnel was shot in the leg. Johnel was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his wound and later released into police custody.

Through interviews, investigative techniques and forensic evidence recovered at the scene, Detectives found probable cause to charge Johnel Trinidad with two counts of Manslaughter (C2 felonies) for the deaths of Ronnie and Natishia, and one count of prohibited possessor (Class 4 felony). Johnel was booked into jail for the above listed charges.

Mesa Man Arrested for Murder

On November 6, 2022, around 6:10 a.m., Mesa Police Officers responded to 7520 E. Billings in response to a 911 caller saying they found their friend dead. When officers arrived, they located the body of 36-year-old Deangelo Tye lying in the outside landscaping. Officers saw drag marks in the landscaping that lead to a blood trail, which they followed to an upstairs apartment. 

At least two people reported to officers that they heard shots fired in the complex around 3:00 a.m. During the investigation, officers located a personal surveillance camera, which captured Deangelo and 30-year-old Michael Binion-Jones, walking to an upstairs apartment. Ten minutes later, the camera captured a lifeless Deangelo being dragged down the stairs and out of view by Binion-Jones. 

Michael Binion-Jones was located and taken into custody on November 7, 2022, in Tempe. He was booked into jail for the following charges and held on a $1,000,000 bond: 

ARS 13-1104.A3; Second Degree Murder, a class one felony.

Michael Binion-Jones Mug Shot