Category: Security News

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

PHOENIX, AZ—On Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Francisco Bejarano, 32, of Phoenix and Richard Pratt, 36, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, were federally indicted on a 13 count indictment which includes bank robbery and Hobbs Act robbery charges.

The indictment charges Bejarano with one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and two counts of bank robbery in connection with the following incidents:

• January 22, 2021: Chase Bank, 9490 West Camelback Road, Glendale, Arizona
• January 26, 2021: Chase Bank, 3502 West Bell Road, Phoenix, Arizona

The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and Phoenix Police Department arrested Bejarano without incident on Thursday, April 22, 2021. Bejarano will remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

On Monday, April 5, 2021, the Goodyear Police Department, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, arrested Richard Pratt without incident in Goodyear, Arizona. He remains in federal custody following a detention hearing.

The indictment charges Pratt with one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, six counts of bank robberies, and five counts of Hobbs Act robberies in connection with incidents that occurred in the valley between January 21, 2021, and April 5, 2021, to include the following:

• January 21, 2021: First Convenience Bank, 2020 North 75th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
• January 26, 2021: Chase Bank, 3502 West Bell Road, Phoenix, Arizona
• February 5, 2021: Desert Financial Credit Union, 5845 West Bell Road, Glendale, Arizona
• March 6, 2021: Family Dollar, 3555 West Van Buren Street, Phoenix, Arizona
• March 18, 2021: Safeway, 5035 West Baseline Road, Phoenix, Arizona
• March 23, 2021: Fry’s, 3949 East Chandler Boulevard, Phoenix, Arizona
• March 26, 2021: First American Credit Union, 1001 North Pinal Avenue, Casa Grande, Arizona
• March 26, 2021: Bank of America, 1691 East Florence Avenue, Casa Grande, Arizona
• April 2, 2021: U.S. Bank, 16380 West Yuma Road, Goodyear, Arizona
• April 4, 2021: Walmart, 2555 W. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, Arizona
• April 4, 2021: Safeway, 3185 W. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, Arizona

No one was physically injured during the crimes.

The Hobbs Act is a federal statute that, among other things, prohibits robbery affecting interstate commerce (e.g., robbing a business).

This indictment is the result of the extraordinary collaboration and coordination of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners. The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force would like to thank the Goodyear Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department for their outstanding work on this case, along with the Glendale Police Department, Chandler Police Department, Casa Grande Police Department, Apache Junction Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona.

Indictments are only accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for Arizona at https://www.azd.uscourts.gov/ or on PACER https://www.pacer.gov/.

The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of the Phoenix Police Department, Peoria Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office FATE team, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.

Magistrate Number: 2:21-cr-00292

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

PHOENIX—The FBI Phoenix Field Office and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations continue to seek information about the disappearance and/or death of Jamie Lynette Yazzie.

Yazzie was last seen near Pinon, Arizona, within the boundaries of Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, on June 30, 2019. She has yet to be found.

The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Yazzie’s disappearance and/or death.

“We are confident someone has information about the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and possible death of Jamie Lynette Yazzie,” said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “We hope this reward will encourage anyone with information to come forward and do the right thing. The FBI and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations have worked tirelessly to locate Yazzie since her disappearance in June. We are committed to bringing justice to Jamie Yazzie, her family, friends, and the entire Pinon community.”

“Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations, along with our federal partners, remains committed to finding resolution and closure for the family of Jamie Yazzie,” said Michael Henderson, director of the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. “She has a family who loves her and misses her every day. Any information regarding this case is important, regardless of how insignificant you may think the information is. Someone in the community has answers or information that will help solve this case.”

The FBI Missing Persons Poster was first released in July 2019 and has been updated to reflect the reward.

Photos and the updated poster can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/jamie-lynette-yazzie

Anyone with information about her whereabouts or the details and circumstances surrounding her disappearance and/or death is asked to contact:

• FBI Phoenix: 623-466-1999
• Chinle Police Department: 928-674-2111
• Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov