Arizona
Trump Legal Strategist Enters Plea in Arizona Case
Attorney John Eastman pleaded not guilty on Friday to conspiracy, fraud, and forgery charges over his role in the effort to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in Arizona to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Eastman, who devised a strategy to try to persuade Congress not to certify the election, is the first person charged in Arizona’s fake elector case to be arraigned. Outside the courthouse, the AP reports, Eastman said the charges against him should have never been filed. “I had zero communications with the electors in Arizona (and) zero involvement in any of the election litigation in Arizona or legislative hearings,” Eastman said. “And I am confident that with the laws faithfully applied, I will be fully be exonerated at the end of this process.”
Arraignments are scheduled Tuesday for 12 other people charged in the case, including nine of the 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Trump had won Arizona. The Arizona indictment said Eastman encouraged the GOP electors to cast their votes in December 2020, unsuccessfully pressured state lawmakers to change the election’s outcome in Arizona, and told then-Vice President Mike Pence that he could reject Democratic electors in the counting of electoral votes in Congress on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump himself was not charged in the Arizona case but was referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator.
Charges have not yet been made public against Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and Trump-aligned attorney, but he was readily identifiable based on descriptions of the defendants in the indictment. No arraignment date has been scheduled for Giuliani. Arizona authorities say they have been unable to serve Giuliani with notice of the charges. Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows is scheduled to be arraigned on June 7. Arizona is the fourth state where allies of the former president have been charged with using false or unproven claims about voter fraud related to the election. Biden won Arizona by more than 10,000 votes, per the AP.
(More Election 2020 stories.)
Arizona
Arizona man convicted for role in bringing cocaine to Cincinnati, other US locations for over 5 years
CINCINNATI — An Arizona man has been found guilty of supplying dozens of kilograms of cocaine to multiple U.S. locations, including Cincinnati, bi-weekly for more than five years.
Tucson resident Cesar Cervantes, 52, was convicted of participating in drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies in a jury trial after the government seized more than 160 kilograms of cocaine, three kilograms of fentanyl and $1.4 million in cash from him.
According to court documents, Cervantes would use a network to deliver drugs that originated in Mexico to multiple locations across the country, including designated couriers in Cincinnati, between at least July 2018 and August 2023. Officials said he would supply between 25 and 50 kilograms biweekly to his coconspirators.
Cervantes would then use money launderers to funnel money back to Mexico. In one instance, court documents said he had coconspirators deliver around $300,000 to two separate money launderers — one based in China and another in Colombia.
The jury found Cervantes guilty on all counts for his role in the conspiracies following a trial before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland in the Southern District of Ohio. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Arizona
Backyard blaze erupts after Arizona monsoon lightning strike
Investigators are analyzing two ransom notes sent after Nancy Guthrie vanished, as a retired FBI agent questions whether the latest message is real. A new development in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance centers on two ransom notes sent to her family after she vanished. Investigators believe the messages may have come from the same person or group, possibly from the same computer IP address. The first note demanded billions in bitcoin, while the second claimed Guthrie had died and offered an apology. Retired FBI agent John Iannarelli says he is skeptical of the second note and questions why the sender has not provided credible information about her location. The case remains active as detectives continue following any reliable leads.
Arizona
Lit cigarette sparks fire at Arizona wildlife park
CAMP VERDE, AZ (AZFamily) — An Arizona wildlife park is asking visitors to follow its rules after a visitor discarded a lit cigarette in the park, sparking a fire.
Park officials said Saturday a visitor ignored the no-smoking policy and threw a lit cigarette on the ground near the Tiger Splash Arena, causing the fire.
“If you are not willing to respect our policies, we understand that our park may not be the right destination for you,” Out of Africa Wildlife Park and Sanctuary said in a social media post.
Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District firefighters put out the fire before it could spread or threaten any animals, park officials said.
“Every policy we have in place exists for a reason, even if it may seem inconvenient to some visitors,” park officials said. “The outcome could have been devastating for the animals. We respectfully ask all visitors to follow the rules that are in place for everyone’s safety.”
Park officials said the safety of the animals, guests and staff is the highest priority.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
-
Los Angeles, Ca50 minutes agoAir quality concerns remain as the Boyle Heights warehouse fire continues to burn
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoWenceel Pérez returns home, but when will he return to Detroit Tigers?
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSan Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder to return following mental health leave
-
Dallas, TX1 hour ago
Impact: How Jeffery Simmons’ extension could affect Quinnen Williams
-
Miami, FL1 hour ago
Jaylen Brown bidding war? Haslem drove this? All the fallout from Antetokounmpo trade to Miami
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoYour next Uber ride in Boston could be a taxi
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoNuggets 2026 NBA mock draft tracker 2.0: What national experts predict Denver will do
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoHow to watch Bosnia vs. Qatar in next Seattle World Cup match