Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Manuel Campos
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The courtroom saga that is the cases against Manuel Ramon Campos, 38, of Safford, had one bit of closure Wednesday as Campos was sentenced to 12 years in prison for possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor.
In June, a jury found Campos guilty of possessing a shotgun during an alleged burglary Jan. 31 in Thatcher. The charge – misconduct with weapons/possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor – is a Class -4 felony.
Campos is represented by attorneys Daisy Flores and Dennis McCarthy on the Thatcher case, and it is being prosecuted by Cochise County Deputy County Attorney Daniel Akers.
Campos’ trial for his actions that day is scheduled for Sept. 11 – 13. The charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, two counts of robbery, two counts of burglary, and disorderly conduct with a deadly weapon.
The charges stem from a Jan. 31 incident in which Campos allegedly broke into a residence at 3589 W. Main St. in Thatcher and demanded money from the resident while brandishing a shotgun. When the victim responded she didn’t have any money, Campos allegedly fired one shot into the floor next to the victim’s leg and reportedly told her “the next one is for you (expletive deleted)” and then ran out the back door.
The case against Campos has been mired in drama, including the Graham County Clerk of the Superior Court being found to have violated evidence protocol by demanding the Thatcher Police retake the evidence from courthouse storage, and a question of whether a juror from the original trial lied about not knowing Campos.
Gary Hess shooting
Campos also has an upcoming trial regarding his alleged shooting of Gary Don Hess in December 2017. In that case, Campos is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault resulting in disfigurement, two counts of assault, discharging a firearm at a residence, three counts of disorderly conduct with a deadly weapon, three counts of endangerment, and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor.
On Friday, Aug. 23, Campos’ appointed attorney, Richard Luff, of Tucson, argued for a change of venue during a hearing in front of Graham County Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Travis Ragland. However, the motion was denied and the trial is scheduled to take place in Graham County with Judge Ragland presiding Nov. 18 -22.
