Arizona
18 members of Arizona human smuggling ring indicted, prosecutors say
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — The bust of a human smuggling ring based in Yuma has resulted in 18 indictments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Friday.
The suspects are allegedly part of the organization named La Mesa, which worked on behalf of the Mexican crime organization Los Rusos.
Investigators say the group is responsible for smuggling, or trying to smuggle, hundreds of people across the U.S.-Mexico border and further into the U.S.
Twenty-four-year-old Carlos Moreno-Serrano from Yuma was the leader of Le Mesa, prosecutors said.
Other alleged members coordinated the smuggling runs, scouted for drivers, ran stash houses, distributed the money for the drivers, rented cars and ran enforcement for La Mesa.
Detectives said as drivers got arrested, members started to take smaller groups of illegal immigrants to Southern and central California to avoid law enforcement.
Leaders in La Mesa would kidnap, threaten and beat up members and drivers who had been arrested.
The 18 suspects were federally charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, harboring illegal aliens for profit and conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. They are:
- Victor Eduardo Araiza-Ponce, 24, of Yuma;
- Antonio Aparicio III, 24, of Somerton;
- Alonzo Esparza, 27, of Yuma;
- Carlos Moreno-Serrano, 24, of Yuma;
- Xasiel Noriega-Gonzalez, 21, of Somerton;
- Joshua Guillermo Leon-Fuentes, 21, of Somerton;
- Angel Rodriguez, 23, of Yuma;
- Crystobal Figueroa, 23, of Somerton;
- Saul Ponce Jr., 23, of San Luis;
- David Leon-Pallanes, 23, of Yuma;
- Manuel Uriel Alvarado, 26, of Yuma;
- Elian Lopez, 24, of Yuma;
- Raymundo Delgado-Diaz, 35, of Yuma;
- Isreal Zeveda, 23, of Salinas, California;
- Francisco Javier Esparza-Macias, 21, of Somerton;
- Alex Chiquete, 25, of Yuma;
- Hector Eduardo-Valdez, 31, of Yuma; and
- Jose Gabriel Marquez-Mendiola, 32, of Yuma.
The maximum penalty for each charge is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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Arizona
Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona
PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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Arizona
NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Arizona
Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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