Caught allegedly stealing corral panels—Seventh deputy involved in ‘serious incident’ in 6 months

See A-1 and see Deputy Arrested, A-3

Citizens Come To Aid Of AJ Officer Under Attack
Suspect had many run-ins with police
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
A 60-year-old man was charged with aggravated assault after he was involved in a mid-morning altercation with an Apache Junction police officer Monday, July 6, at the Quik Trip gas station (QT), police said.
   Raymond Achee Morton, whose address is unknown, is being held on $50,000 bond, according to Capt. Tom Kelly of the Apache Junction Police Department.
   The incident began when Morton flagged down Officer Jake Bramlett for help from the QT, located at Idaho Road and Old West Highway.
   Bramlett got out of his car and Morton began swinging at him, Kelly said. Before other officers responded, three Apache Junction citizens at the QT subdued Morton and pulled him away from the officer. Bramlett grabbed his Taser but did not deploy it because he was too close to Morton, Kelly said.
   Bramlett sustained minor cuts and bruises, according to Kelly.
 “We’ve had numerous contacts with him in the past,” Kelly said of Morton. “It doesn’t look like anything really serious though.”
   Rusty Thurgood of Apache Junction was one of the residents who helped Bramlett.
   “It didn’t really matter that it was a police officer,” Thurgood said. “Somebody needed help. That’s the bottom line.”
   Added Jody Arredondo, another citizen who aided Bramlett, “We’re not trying to be heroes. We were just trying to help someone who needed help.”
   Thurgood, Arredondo and the third citizen, who was not identified to the Apache Junction/ Gold Canyon News, are slated to be honored by the police department at a soonto- be scheduled ceremony.

See A-1 and see Officer Attacked, A-6

Robbs Indicted On 46 Counts
Florence man worked for County Recorder’s Office; three others also indicted
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
A 51-year-old Florence man was indicted Tuesday, July 7, on 46 counts related to the ID theft while he was employed by the Pinal County Recorder’s Office, according to Attorney General Terry Goddard.
   Albert Ray Robbs, an ex-con, formerly of Apache Junction, was the boyfriend of Recorder Laura Dean-Lytle’s daughter, Michelle Daymon, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.
   A PCSO memo dated January 5, 2009, states Dean-Lytle hired Robbs knowing he was a convicted felon for theftrelated crimes, and that Daymon and Robbs were involved in illicit drug use/activity. He wrote on his employment application that he was convicted of a felony, “Arrested in July of ‘99, charged with trafficking stolen property sentenced to 3 1/2 years in D.O.C. (Department of Corrections), released June of 2002.” Daymon was also charged in the case, receiving probation.
   Dean-Lytle hired Robbs June 21, 2004.
 The document also stated that Dean-Lytle promoted Robbs despite being suspended without pay for two days—August 29-30, 2006— for attendance issues.
   Goddard also announced the indictments of three other Florence residents on a long list of fraud, forgery, ID theft and drug charges— Larry Garcia, 47; Cheryl Ann Parsons, 33, and her mother, Carol Louise Lewis, 61.

See A-1 and see Indicted, A-3

Summer Volleyball League Begins
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Apache Junction High School volleyball squad kicked off its Phoenix College Summer League in impressive fashion this past Tuesday winning all three of their matches. Using mostly what will likely be their starting varsity lineup this coming Fall, the Apache Junction girls defeated (Surprise) Valley Vista 25-20, 25-11 in the first match of the night and downed Williams Field 25-13, 25-19 in the nightcap.
   Fielding a team mixed with starters and reserves in their middle match versus (Ahwatukee) Horizon Honors, the AJHS girls rallied from behind in both games for a 26-24, 25-22 victory.
   In the opening match with Valley Vista, Katie Karbo came up with 10 service points and 10 assists to pace the AJHS girls. Jessica Iniguez had six service points and four kills, Kylie Bocskay contributed five blocks and three kills, Cat Ovalle added four service points and two kills, Diana Woodruff had four service points and came up with five digs, Sierra Aulik pitched in with six service points and a kill, Alissa Aranda had four service points and Monica Geer added a pair of kills.
   In the win over Williams Field, Ovalle exploded for 10 service points including three aces and pounded down eight kills to lead the Lady Prospectors. Karbo handed out 18 assists, Iniguez added seven service points, five kills and two blocks, Bocskay came up with six kills, Aranda had eight service points and two digs, Aulik contributed three digs and two kills, Woodruff added six service points and three digs, and Geer had a kill.

See B-1 and see Indicted, B-2

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