Arizona

Federal agents conduct money laundering and immigration raid at northern AZ BBQ chain

Published

8 months ago

July 16, 2025

Federal agents conduct money laundering and immigration raid at northern AZ BBQ chain

The husband and wife owners of the popular Colt Grill BBQ and Spirits restaurants in northern Arizona are accused of hiring and harboring undocumented immigrants to work at their restaurants through an elaborate scheme, according to federal prosecutors.

Robert and Brenda Clouston, both 61, were arrested after federal agents raided the restaurants and several residences in Yavapai County, and a Colt Grill restaurant in Foley, Alabama on July 15, federal prosecutors said.

Two others, Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes, 33, and Iris Romero-Molina, 29, also were indicted, federal prosecutors said.

Roger-Jaimes and Romero-Molina are undocumented immigrants from Mexico, federal prosecutors said.

Under the scheme, the four people created a cleaning business, R&R AZ Cleaning, that was used to find undocumented immigrants to work at the restaurants, according to federal prosecutors.

The unauthorized workers were paid through the cleaning business with funds from the restaurants, federal prosecutors said.

The unauthorized workers were paid below minimum wage and were not compensated for overtime, federal prosecutors said.

The Cloustons, Roger-Jaimes and Romero-Molina benefited financially from the plan and did not pay proper employment taxes for the workers, federal prosecutors said.

The Cloustons, Roger-Jaimes and Romero-Molina were indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to unlawfully enter the U.S., and a pattern and practice of knowingly employing unauthorized aliens, federal prosecutors said.

They face up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each of the conspiracy charges. They also face up to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine for each unauthorized employee for the pattern and practice charge, federal prosecutors said.

All four appeared in federal court in Phoenix on July 16, court records show. An arraignment hearing is set for July 21, court records show.

Several workers were also arrested on immigration violations as part of the raid, federal prosecutors said.

The arrests culminated a three-year investigation by federal and local law enforcement agencies led by Homeland Security Investigations, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Timothy Courchaine, the U.S. Attorney for the district of Arizona, said in a written statement.

The Cloustons operated four Colt Grill restaurants in Arizona, including Old Town Cottonwood, on Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott, in Prescott Valley and the village of Oak Creek in Sedona, according to the indictment.

The couple also operated a Colt Grill in Foley, AL.

Under federal law, employers are required to verify employees are authorized to legally work in the U.S. by completing I-9 forms, the indictment said.

In addition, under Arizona law, employers are required to use the federal government’s E-Verify electronic verification system to check the employment status of workers, the indictment said.

From at least Nov. 2021, Robert Clouston knew that Arizona state law required Colt Grill to pay time and a half for any work over 40 hours per week, the indictment said.

Clouston told a manager not to be concerned with receiving the required paperwork to properly calculate pay, taxes and workers’ compensation for some newly hired employees, stating those were “Pedro’s people,” the indictment said.

“Pedro” would bring workers up from Mexico and, on at least one occasion, was seen handing Rogel-Jaimes cash while allegedly discussing bringing more workers from Mexico, the indictment said.

In 2022, Robert Clouston instructed two managers at the Colt Grill restaurant in Sedona to fire U.S. citizen employees to create openings for undocumented workers from Mexico “for the purpose of having less expensive labor costs,” the indictment said.

Clouston leased several houses in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Cottonwood where undocumented workers who worked for his restaurants lived, the indictment said.

The case is part of the Trump administration’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration,” eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and “protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona statement said.

Several local police departments assisted with scene security and ensuring public safety while the warrants were executed, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said.

Photos posted on Facebook showed an armored vehicle and armed law enforcement personnel in military-style garb outside one of the Colt Grill locations.

A video posted on Instagram showed a woman who identified herself as Ximena crying outside the Colt Grill restaurant in Sedona, saying her father had just been arrested by ICE as part of the raid.

“My dad used to work here at Colt Grill. ICE just randomly came and they took him. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t have no criminal record. They just showed up and they want to take him to Phoenix,” she says. “He was the one who brought everything to the house. I don’t know what I am going to do without him.”

Colt Grill is a small group of BBQ restaurants with locations in Old Town Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, downtown Prescott, the village of Oak Creek, Sedona and downtown Foley, Alabama, according to the Colt Grill website.

“We are female-owned, family-run, and believe in the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and perseverance,” the website says.

No one answered the phone at any of the Colt Grill locations. A voice recording said the system had reached capacity and directed callers to the Colt Grill website.

Republic reporter Richard Ruelas contributed to this article.

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Arizona

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

2-0-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

02-05-18-27-41

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-14-17-19-23-24

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Arizona

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Published

15 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Two teenagers were fatally shot while camping northeast of Phoenix in May 2025.
Both Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were shot in the head, autopsy reports said.
A 31-year-old man was arrested and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths.

A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.

Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.

The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight

While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.

A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.

“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.

Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.

Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.

“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”

It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.

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Arizona

No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title

TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas had 13 and No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night.

The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.

Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.

“The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country,” Lloyd said while addressing the home crowd after the game, “and to win it by a couple of games, it’s pretty impressive. So take your hats off to these guys right here.”

Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the field, including 7-of-30 from 3-point range.

During his postgame news conference, Lloyd called out the narrative surrounding his team when discussing the Wildcats’ toughness and physicality.

“I think the narrative that we were soft is lazy. I mean, look at our stats, look at our analytics — we’ve always been a great rebounding team, we’ve always pounded the paint,” Lloyd said. “If you want to just be lazy and not pay attention and say we’re soft because we’re on the West Coast, be lazy, and I’d love to play against you.”

Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Neither team could make much of anything, due to good defense and poor shooting.

Iowa State shot 9-of-33 from the field and 4-of-20 from 3 in the first half.

Arizona labored most of the half as the Cyclones focused on defending the paint before the Wildcats closed on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime.

It only got worse for Iowa State to start the second half. The Cyclones missed their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16.

Iowa State briefly found an offensive rhythm, using a 10-1 run to pull to within 44-37, but didn’t hit a field goal for more than five minutes as Arizona stretched the lead back to 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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