By Jon Johnson/Gila Herald
jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com
CLIFTON — A joint operation between the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) SWAT team executed a high-risk search warrant at a residence in Ward’s Canyon on Tuesday, Oct. 6, resulting in the seizure of multiple illegal firearms and the arrest of a suspect with alleged ties to organized crime.
David Enriquez, 36, was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Greenlee County Jail on five counts of misconduct involving weapons. A woman at the residence was also detained during the operation but was later released.
The search warrant was served at a residence in Ward’s Canyon, a subdivision located directly off Highway 191 near Clifton that leads back to the Loma Linda and Verde Lee neighborhoods.
According to Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Sergeant Mark Crandell, authorities deployed heavy tactical force for the raid, including DPS SWAT armored tactical vehicles.
“We were teaming up with DPS SWAT because, through the investigation, we learned that David has ties to the Mexican Mafia gang, and we knew him to be armed and dangerous,” Sgt. Crandell said.
The operation stemmed from ongoing investigations into prior cases, with deputies connecting dots back to the residence. Investigators had obtained information indicating that firearms were present at the location, which Enriquez was legally prohibited from possessing.
During the search, officers recovered five firearms—a rifle, a shotgun, and three handguns—along with various calibers of ammunition. Sgt. Crandell noted that investigators also found ammunition calibers for which no matching firearms were located inside the home.
While weapons and drug operations often coincide, authorities confirmed that no drugs were located during Tuesday’s search and that the warrant was focused specifically on illegal firearm possession linked to prior cases. No injuries were reported during the operation.
Greenlee County Sheriff Eric Ellison praised the collaborative effort and highlighted the department’s proactive approach to local law enforcement:
“The Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office is no longer a reactive agency we are a proactive agency. We make our best efforts to stop crime in its tracks before it exoculates. Wether it be crimes against children, criminal speed, drugs or illegal weapons possessed by know prohibited possessors, etc. Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking justice and safety for all our county. The Sheriff’s Office has come a long way in the past year and ten months. These latest big arrests are a result of deputies completing through investigations and reports and having an investigation division with well-trained investigators who can focus on complex crimes. In all I am very proud of our Sheriff’s Office from Patrol Deputies, Investigators, Dispatchers, Detention Officers and admin staff who all work together keeping our county safe.”
Greenlee County Sheriff Eric Ellison
Authorities indicated that additional charges or arrests may follow as the investigation continues.
