On Friday, August 28th, 2015 at 8:59 a.m. a Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser for a traffic violation at the Circle K located on the corner ofStanfield and Highway 84, Stanfield. When the vehicle stopped, the front and rear passenger’s side doors opened and two males ran southbound from the vehicle.
The deputy contacted the driver of the vehicle who was identified as Erik Thomas (age 25 of Casa Grande). Inside of the vehicle, the deputy observed four bundles of marijuana and a Kenwood portable radio. Thomas was placed under arrest.
The marijuana bundles weighed a total of 81 pounds.
Thomas also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of the Casa Grande Justice Court for “Failure to Appear” on a past criminal charge.
Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “Deputies searched for the two suspects that fled and located them near the airfield in Stanfield. They were taken into custody and later identified by U.S. Border Patrol as David Gonzales-Bautista (age 34 of Mexico) and Jesus De La Cruz-Barrera (age 29 of Mexico).”
All three suspects were booked into the Pinal County Jail for Possession of Marijuana for Sale, Transportation of Marijuana for Sale and Possession of Marijuana.
Sheriff Paul Babeu continued, “Pinal County continues to be one of the most active counties in all of America for drug and human smuggling because of our roadways and terrain. Our Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit, our Regional Narcotics Task Force and Patrol Deputies will continue to disrupt these smuggling efforts as much as possible.”