On January 31 at 5:30 p.m., a Pinal County Deputy spotted a Pontiac sedan speeding 15 mph over the posted speed limit, northbound on Highway 347 west of Stanfield. He stopped the vehicle and observed the driver and passengers appeared nervous. The driver identified as Christian Grimaldo, a 21-year-old Phoenix resident, had no explanation for being in the area. Three of the vehicle occupants were from Phoenix and a back seat passenger, later identified as Hector Garcia-Franco, said he lived in San Tan Valley. Hector was wearing camouflaged clothing similar to what is worn by drug smugglers walking across the desert from Mexico.
Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “Between the nervous behaviors, inconsistent statements of the vehicle occupants, and the deputy’s observations, our deputy became suspicious that the vehicle contained drugs. When the driver allowed him to look in the trunk, he discovered two bales of marijuana and straps used to carry them across the desert from Mexico.”
In addition to Grimaldo, who was driving the car, his wife, Dalia Sanchez, 21-years-old, was in the front seat. The back seat passenger was identified as a 17-year-old male Phoenix resident.
Sheriff Babeu commenting on the arrests said, “Drug smugglers in Pinal County are most often discovered as a result of our deputies making traffic stops, who then used their training and experience to identify and interdict these smugglers. In this case, all four people in the car were arrested for smuggling drugs and are now in jail awaiting serious felony charges.”