Arizona Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Targeted Attacks on Law Enforcement

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Arizona Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Targeted Attacks on Law Enforcement

 

- For Immediate Release -

 

Monday, March 04, 2024

On Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, Saul Ballardo, a resident of El Mirage, Arizona, was sentenced to a total of 26 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry for crimes he committed between July 27, 2021, and Dec. 30, 2021. Ballardo was sentenced after he pled guilty to four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a class two felony.

Between those dates, Ballardo carried out multiple shootings targeting uniformed law enforcement officers from the City of El Mirage Police Department, the City of Surprise Police Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) within the cities of El Mirage, Youngtown, Surprise, and unincorporated areas of Maricopa County.

During the investigation, detectives determined Ballardo was involved in a total of 14 separate shootings. Although no victims were struck by gunfire, Ballardo victimized 48 different law enforcement personnel across these 14 shootings, as well as three AZDPS Ranger helicopter crew members when he attempted to ram a drone into the helicopter during a mission. Ballardo’s reckless actions put the public in the area of each of those shootings at risk and incited a sense of fear in those communities.

This was an extensive investigation conducted by AZDPS Criminal Investigations Division detectives. The AZDPS would like to thank the El Mirage Police Department, Surprise Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Transportation, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for their assistance and cooperation with this investigation. Thanks to the hard work of all the individuals involved in this investigation, Ballardo can no longer terrorize our local communities.

(Department Report Number: I21059766)

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State Gang Task Force Detectives Seize 80 Firearms, Drugs Following Tucson Search Warrant

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State Gang Task Force Detectives Seize 80 Firearms, Drugs Following Tucson Search Warrant

 

- For Immediate Release -

 

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

On Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, detectives with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Gang & Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM) arrested two suspects on drug and weapons related charges and seized 80 firearms from a Tucson residence and several storage units.

Detectives served a search warrant on a residential property near 5th Avenue and Rosemont Boulevard on Friday morning following an investigation related to illegal drug activity. Additional search warrants were also served at a nearby storage facility tied to one of the suspects.

During service of the residential warrant, detectives located heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl on the property.

Detectives also located and seized a total of 80 firearms – including rifles and pistols of various calibers – and more than 12,400 rounds of ammunition between the residential property and the storage facility. Several of the firearms had previously been reported stolen. Both of the suspects are prohibited from possessing firearms.

Robert Stevenson, 66, and Brooke Smith, 53, were booked into the Pima County Jail on charges including:

  • Possession of a dangerous drug
  • Possession of a dangerous drug for sale
  • Possession of a narcotic drug (2 counts)
  • Possession of a narcotic drug for sale (2 counts)
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Weapons misconduct, possession of a deadly weapon during a felony offense
  • Weapons misconduct, possession of a prohibited weapon
  • Weapons misconduct, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor
  • Theft of a firearm

The Gang & Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission is a statewide multi-agency task force led by the AZDPS Gang Enforcement Bureau. The mission of the Arizona State Gang Task Force is, in collaboration with citizens, partnered agencies and intelligence resources, to suppress criminal gangs and transnational crime.

This case is being prosecuted by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

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