Chandler Officers In Shootout Were Trying To Sell Pot

[Ganjarden]

Arizona - Chandler police detectives were selling 500 pounds of marijuana in an operation called a "reversal'' when they became the victims of a botched drug ripoff in south Phoenix, according to court records released Friday.

Chandler police detectives were selling 500 pounds of marijuana in an operation called a "reversal'' when they became the victims of a botched drug ripoff in south Phoenix, according to court records released Friday.

Two defendants in the fatal shooting of Detective Carlos Ledesma, 34, showed police $250,000, demonstrating they had the cash to buy the pot, at a fast food restaurant at 19th Avenue and Broadway Road in Phoenix, and later inspected a sample at nearby location, documents prepared by Phoenix police said.

But when police drove their unmarked vehicle into a garage of a house in the 2300 block of W. Maldonado Avenue loaded with marijuana, shots rang out inside that eventually left Ledesma dead and two other detectives critically injured.

Chandler and Phoenix police both confirmed the scenario as efforts were underway to plan Ledesma's funeral.

Sgt. Joe Favazzo, a Chandler police spokesman, said the undercover operation did not involve a traditional exchange where dealers sell drugs to undercover agents. In this case, the undercover officers had the drugs and the suspects had the cash.

"This is a reversal,'' said Sgt. Joe Favazzo, a Chandler police spokesman. "This is seized evidentiary marijuana.''

He said one wounded detective was doing "much, much better'' at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center while the third has been released from the hospital.

Neither Favazzo nor his Phoenix police counterpart, Sgt. Steve Martos, could say why the Chandler detectives were attempting to sell the marijuana to buyers in southwest Phoenix. The botched drug ripoff on Wednesday evening also left two suspects dead and another hospitalized, while five others were arrested on charges ranging from first-degree murder to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

One of the dead was identified Friday as Markiese Royalty, believed to be 26, the cousin of another suspect Jerry Cockhearn III, 34. The second has not yet been identified.

In addition to Cockhearn, those in custody were identified as Thadika Singleton, 38, John Webber, 37, Doarnell Jackson, 35, Jerry Wayne Cockhearn, 25, and Eldridge Gittens, 34.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: azcentral.com
Author: Jim Walsh
Copyright: 2010, azcentral.com

 

[greeenbudzzz]

what did they think was going to happen

 

[gromper]

This kind of activity goes on all the time in the seedy world of volume drug dealing. Greed is the driving force. It's dangerous to play with the big boys.

 

[Robin Hood]

Notice these were Chandler police officers operating in Phoenix ... either way, I hope this isn't used as a springboard for prideful retaliation against Proposition 203 as opposed to the wake up call it is to the depths of evil being manifested through this ridiculous prohibition.

 

[chancedebris]

and perhaps they were just selling usual supply of conficated stuff with NO reverse, but it went bad.

 

[MedicalNeed]

Are there any locals who can verify that this story is even true and not a timed related press propaganda just before AZ. votes?

The timing in a lot of some of these violent stories seem just to planned in many instances.

 

[SnowBender]

and perhaps they were just selling usual supply of conficated stuff with NO reverse, but it went bad.

Ding! Ding!

Bust my ass. The pigs stole a few bales of weed, saw the dollar signs and got greedy.

pulling into and unknown garage with 500k in weed doesnt strike me as standard operating police procedure...

 

[gromper]

Ding! Ding!

Bust my ass. The pigs stole a few bales of weed, saw the dollar signs and got greedy.

pulling into and unknown garage with 500k in weed doesnt strike me as standard operating police procedure...

Ya gotta wonder who knew about this "Operation" and how they might be involved. These kinds of setups are often clandestine and known to only a few. If it goes right, perhaps it is a big payday for those involved. We often hear of corruption leading all the way to the Top. If it goes wrong, it was a "planned operation" that just went bad.

Meeting strangers in a 500-pound deal in an unknown garage - how lame are these people. There are much more secure and safe ways of handling an exchange of this size. Has the appearance of greed to me too.

 

[Robin Hood]

Are there any locals who can verify that this story is even true and not a timed related press propaganda just before AZ. votes?

Yeah, it's true... peculiar, but true. It's been all over the news here for the last week... pre-funeral viewing days and times and all of that, it happened right around the corner from my in-law's home.

 

[MedicalNeed]

Thank You for the comment on this Brotherobin with the AZ. vote coming up I was kinda doubtful about it.

 

[Droughtboijay]

good the bitches got what they deserved... fuck the police... corrupt bitches...

 

[SnowBender]

good the bitches got what they deserved... fuck the police... corrupt bitches...

Not all of them...We like our local police. they protect us from the rippers and sometimes even the feds.

 

[gromper]

Not all of them...We like our local police. they protect us from the rippers and sometimes even the feds.

Agreed - if there weren't any good ones, we'd never hear about the bad ones getting caught. I wonder how this one will play out. I still think it was stupid of them to take that kind of risk.

 

[Robin Hood]

These are (and were) family men with wives and kids, corrupt or not, these kids have to live with this for the rest of their lives... the story is tragic. And to top it all off they were murdered over a plant! How many more poeple have to die? How many more American 's have to be imprisoned before we speak up?! Look, (for all of you AZ residents) I know proposition 203 is just a step... but it's a step in the right direction. Another step toward legalization. Go out and vote this November! Don't ignore this opportunity to be heard. This has got to stop! And if you benefit from herb, don't just sit back and complain, get up and get out! Make your voice heard... SB 1070 is one of the best things that's happened to AZ in years, and look what happened when people got out and spoke up! EVERYONE turned on AZ! And they're not even impacted by the bill! We can make this happen, man.

 

[gromper]

This is more about domestic distribution and has nothing to do with the border. Everyone turned on AZ because SB 1070 is a stupid, poorly thought through bill. We don't need to debate that here though and I would guess (I obviously don't know) you were white skinned (or let's just say non-hispanic) and racial profiling does not apply to you. If I were Hispanic, I would move out of AZ or if I wanted to stay, take to the streets and voice my opinions like so many are doing - and I would be carrying my "papers" just in case.

This is about poor planning by the police attempting to infiltrate the upper end of distribution channels. They obviously didn't know who they were dealing with and got set up by thugs over 100K worth of pot. I am sure there is much more to the story we don't know about.

Even if pot were legal, there will still be the black market and big illegal deals will still be going on and the police will still be trying to catch the bad guys. Legalization will only trim out the consumer end of police actions. There will still be plenty for them to do. I just hope they can proceed more carefully in the future.

 

[Robin Hood]

Please excuse my "rabbit trail" for a brief moment...

You've got to actually live in Arizona to understand the depths of 1070. The MAJORITY of kidnappings, murders, and drug and human trafficking that occurs in this state are propagated by illegal migrants. This is a matter of general safety and security. I am the child of an immigrant. My mother took the necessary steps to gain her U.S. citizenship, it was a lengthy process, but she did what she had to do. This was thirty years ago. Don't be so quick to accept the media hype. The cause of the protesting goes much deeper than most American's are willing to accept. Another thing, I, an American citizen born abroad, have been unemployed since April 1st. IMMEDIATELY after talk about 1070 hit the airwaves, jobs started becoming available all over the place. Not to mention tax free earnings AND state assistance. Look, I understand racial profiling, I grew up with a black father and a white mother (in Indiana at that). I understand unfair laws and civil and constitutional rights violations (My dad had to ride in the back of the bus growing up and of course there's the reason why many of us are members of sites like this and contributing members of reformation orginizations). SB 1070 is NOT a Constitutional volation by ANY means. It's about protecting this country, beginning with the people that not only call, but treat Arizona like home. My wife's dad came to this country, from Mexico, 40 years ago. He has raised nine children and has owned his own business for many years. It CAN and SHOULD be done right. This is not a new law. U.S. Citizenship is a privelage. Why do you think so many people want to be here? Yes, welcome everyone, and if you want to stay... do it the right way.

And, back to the topic...

This whole situation reeks with the scent of corruption. Unfortunately, what's done is done. Nothing done now will restore the families losses. By the way, the funeral for Officer Carlos Ledesma was this morning (my condolences). The funeral for the "bad guys"?... who knows... they don't mention that part on the news.

 

[MedicalNeed]

Fallen Chandler officer called a hero at funeral

Read more: Fallen Chandler officer called a hero at funeral

 

[gromper]

Please excuse my "rabbit trail" for a brief moment...

You've got to actually live in Arizona to understand the depths of 1070. The MAJORITY of kidnappings, murders, and drug and human trafficking that occurs in this state are propagated by illegal migrants. This is a matter of general safety and security. I am the child of an immigrant. My mother took the necessary steps to gain her U.S. citizenship, it was a lengthy process, but she did what she had to do. This was thirty years ago. Don't be so quick to accept the media hype. The cause of the protesting goes much deeper than most American's are willing to accept. Another thing, I, an American citizen born abroad, have been unemployed since April 1st. IMMEDIATELY after talk about 1070 hit the airwaves, jobs started becoming available all over the place. Not to mention tax free earnings AND state assistance. Look, I understand racial profiling, I grew up with a black father and a white mother (in Indiana at that). I understand unfair laws and civil and constitutional rights violations (My dad had to ride in the back of the bus growing up and of course there's the reason why many of us are members of sites like this and contributing members of reformation orginizations). SB 1070 is NOT a Constitutional volation by ANY means. It's about protecting this country, beginning with the people that not only call, but treat Arizona like home. My wife's dad came to this country, from Mexico, 40 years ago. He has raised nine children and has owned his own business for many years. It CAN and SHOULD be done right. This is not a new law. U.S. Citizenship is a privelage. Why do you think so many people want to be here? Yes, welcome everyone, and if you want to stay... do it the right way.

And, back to the topic...

This whole situation reeks with the scent of corruption. Unfortunately, what's done is done. Nothing done now will restore the families losses. By the way, the funeral for Officer Carlos Ledesma was this morning (my condolences). The funeral for the "bad guys"?... who knows... they don't mention that part on the news.

OK - for the most part I am in total agreement with you. The state of the border is appalling. I'm all for making the border a well posted 100 yard wide mine field with the notation "Cross this border illegally and you will die". Extreme perhaps but I sure would go out of my way to make a legal crossing. I would also offer easier ways to cross the border and obtain temporary work status and the infrastructure on both sides of the border to implement monitor it. Then, offer military assistance to the Mexican government to eradicate the drug cartels and deal with that problem as if they were in Afghanistan. I hope that SB 1070 was designed to light a fire under the feds to do something, but when an officer sees 4 Mexicans talking on a street corner and pretty much minding their own business, he should not have the legal authority to ask to see their papers without any other probable cause.

OK - so much for my rant - lol.

 

[TorturedSoul]

You've got to actually live in Arizona to understand the depths of 1070. The MAJORITY of kidnappings, murders, and drug and human trafficking that occurs in this state are propagated by illegal migrants. This is a matter of general safety and security. I am the child of an immigrant. My mother took the necessary steps to gain her U.S. citizenship, it was a lengthy process, but she did what she had to do. This was thirty years ago. Don't be so quick to accept the media hype. The cause of the protesting goes much deeper than most American's are willing to accept. Another thing, I, an American citizen born abroad, have been unemployed since April 1st. IMMEDIATELY after talk about 1070 hit the airwaves, jobs started becoming available all over the place. Not to mention tax free earnings AND state assistance. Look, I understand racial profiling, I grew up with a black father and a white mother (in Indiana at that). I understand unfair laws and civil and constitutional rights violations (My dad had to ride in the back of the bus growing up and of course there's the reason why many of us are members of sites like this and contributing members of reformation orginizations). SB 1070 is NOT a Constitutional volation by ANY means. It's about protecting this country, beginning with the people that not only call, but treat Arizona like home. My wife's dad came to this country, from Mexico, 40 years ago. He has raised nine children and has owned his own business for many years. It CAN and SHOULD be done right. This is not a new law. U.S. Citizenship is a privelage. Why do you think so many people want to be here? Yes, welcome everyone, and if you want to stay... do it the right way.

+REPs! And REPs-in-spirit to your mom and our wife's dad. I am a child of American parents. They were the children of American parents. They were the children of a mixed bag of American, three different Native American, and immigrant parents. The ones that were not born here followed the "official procedures" for coming - including, if you go far enough back, one indentured servant who had his passage, room, and board paid for (if I remember correctly) six years by his "owner" while he worked out his contract. Many others came through at Ellis Island. Some of them learned English as a second (or third) language and they were proud to do it and proud to learn the civics and history of their new country. They didn't sneak in, sneak around, and refuse to learn the language, the civics, and the cultures of this country (although they did remember their original ones, and integrate them). They also did the best job that they could of learning the candidates and the issues and made a special point to VOTE in every election that they were legally-allowed to vote in. They considered such to be a right, a privilege... AND a responsibility. While border-jumping might be a common practice, it is neither an accepted nor a legal one.

An accent - even a very strong one - is one thing. But a non-Englishh speaker? Send them back to the country in which their language is spoken (Yeah, I know... That seems to be California [/RANT]).

Here's a thought: Illegal? I'm sorry sir/ma'am, you aren't here as a citizen, holder of a visa, greencard, etc. You don't qualify for US Government services such as police/fire/medical/education at the same level that those who are legally allowed to be here qualify for. But we can offer you services at the same level that you'd qualify for in your country.

Harsh? Yeah, I guess so. I have no pity? Nope. Not in any but a scant few situations. But it's not prejudice - I have very little amounts of pity for Americans either, lol. It does seem like it would be justice, though. If a person that sneaks into this country is treated the same and has the same benefits (or lack of) that he/she would get in his/her own country, they just MIGHT decide to become legal citizens or at least documented legal workers. Or - here's a thought - they might even decide to stay in their own country in the first place. Yes, life is hard, unfair, and often short in many countries. Corruption runs high in many governments (including our own). But if a country has 11 MILLION people (Mexico is the 11th most populous country), they stand a fair chance of stopping it if they all work together. A peasant with nothing more than a staff (stick), rock, or crude farm implement might not stand much chance against an armed soldier with an AK-47 (although people who've studied guerrilla warfare would suggest otherwise) - but a hundred of them would bury the soldier in no time flat.

If such a thing ever happened, if all the illegals went home and instead of sneaking in they decided to make a serious attempt to fight for their OWN country, I would not be opposed to helping them. I'd be perfectly willing to vote that the biggest portion of the monies spent on our INS and US Border Patrol agencies be instead spent on both humanitarian and military aide to the PEOPLE (not current government) of those countries. Instead of sending more and more troops to Afghanistan (and having in some ways about as much overall success as the Russians did), send them to Mexico and other countries in our own hemisphere.

Another idea: Catch an illegal alien, draft them.

One last one: Catch an illegal alien, deport them. But don't just send them back to their own country - mix and match. Catch a Cuban, send him to Mexico. Catch a Bolivian, send him to Cuba. Catch a Mexican, send him to Bolivia. I don't know how much good it would do, but it's no less likely to help than many other things that have been tried. And a government might actually try to do something about its citizens sneaking into this country if they suddenly found that failing to do so caused them to have an illegal alien problem of their own.

This whole situation reeks with the scent of corruption.

I wonder... The word "sample" comes to mind. If they supplied a free sample for consumption-testing... At that point IMHO they've crossed the line from undercover sting to drug-dealer/supplier.

But even without the carnage, stealing from cops is still stealing - and is wrong.

When an officer sees 4 Mexicans talking on a street corner and pretty much minding their own business, he should not have the legal authority to ask to see their papers without any other probable cause.

No, if an officer sees four Mexican-Americans - or Mexicans with visas, or greencards - talking on a street-corner and pretty much minding their own business, he shouldn't. But in an area with a known illegal-immigrant problem... Illegal aliens are CRIMINALS and they are committing a crime just by being there. People who are in the middle of committing a crime can be questioned, asked for ID, taken to the police station, and arrested.

Granted, they may not be illegal aliens. If I'm walking (not driving) and get stopped by police, they can ask me to identify myself and to show proof but I can refuse. I understand that and I am not in favor of a Nazi-era Germany "Your papers PLEASE!" kind of thing. But when there's a good chance that the police officer is literally witnessing a crime... What's your solution? Just standing there is not evidence of a crime, nor is the color of one's skin probable cause. I would say that refusing to produce documentation is not (and should not be) a crime. BUT... If the person doesn't have a working grasp of ENGLISH (again, I'm not talking about accents - but a person ought to know the language) and refuses to produce documentation in an area that is known for having an illegal alien population, that could be considered to be reasonable suspicion in my book (whether or not it meets the current politically-"correct" legal definition of the term). People could be taken to the station and questioned - that's not discrimination in my book since I can be taken to a station and questioned (and even held for, I believe, up to 72 hours without being charged).

I take a dim view of illegals and have some ideas that many would consider to be rather harsh. But again, I do not feel that they are a sign of prejudice - I also feel that even people that were born here and who's parents and grandparents should have to learn about the history of the country, current civics and political issues, and the political candidates. They ought to have to pass some sort of exam (with allowances made for those with low intelligence) proving proficiency, and they should have to vote. I'd make voting an essay-style thing instead of simply "tick the box" so as to ensure that they're voting the issues as opposed to just randomly choosing.

 

[SnowBender]

The MAJORITY of kidnappings, murders, and drug and human trafficking that occurs in this state are propagated by illegal migrants.

I d sure love to visit and see for myself, but im not going near that place with my overseas birth cert till the gestapo settles down and decides it wants visitors again. all I can do for now is read up on it... Despite perceptions, crime in border areas, including Arizona, mostly down | Los Angeles Times