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Attorney General Tom Horne today announced the resolution of a case in his ongoing auto repair “sting” operations, a program he instituted to deter auto repair shops from defrauding consumers.

In the sting operation, an automotive repair expert shut off an undercover vehicle’s fuel cutoff switch before the State’s undercover operator called Sun Valley Towing for service.   Sun Valley Towing towed the vehicle to its repair shop where a mechanic simply reset the switch, correcting the problem.  The owner then charged the State’s undercover operator $340.00 for replacing the fuel pump, an unnecessary repair that was never performed. 

Reminder Comes after Arizona Woman Held in Mexico Jail for Over a Week on False Drug-smuggling Charge

In the wake of Yanira Maldonado’s nine-day ordeal in a Mexico jail on groundless drug-trafficking accusations and the beginning of summer travel to Sonora, Mexico, Attorney General Tom Horne is today offering resources and tips in order to make sure that all Arizonans know what to do in case of an emergency or even an arrest in Mexico. All of the resources in this release may be found on the Attorney General’s website at https://www.azag.gov/mexico-travel

The deaths of a Phoenix Police Officer and Phoenix Fire Fighter in separate incidents within the last week are raising concerns about potential charity scams, Attorney General Tom Horne said today.

“My office has been alerted that possible charity scammers have already started to take advantage of the tragic deaths of Phoenix Police Officer Daryl Reatz and Phoenix Fire Fighter Bradley Harper,” Horne said. “I am always saddened to see these kinds of scams appear when there is a tragedy such as the death of a first-responder, and my office will do all it can to warn consumers and prosecute anyone caught operating a charitable scam.”

A single political appointee should not be entrusted with the job of certifying border security for the United States, Attorney General Tom Horne told Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake in a letter yesterday.

"Last week’s report from the Department of Homeland Security confirming that more than 600 immigration detainees released from federal custody in February were convicted criminals was outrageous, and shows the federal government’s lack of commitment to border security," Horne said.

Father of Elizabeth Smart to Speak at Event Honoring Victims and Those Working to Protect Them

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is today announcing the kick-off of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.  This year’s theme, New Challenges. New Solutions., celebrates the spirit of those who have worked (and continue to work) in the area of victims’ rights, while also recognizing the courage and resilience of those who have been victim to a crime.

Attorney General Tom Horne has invited city attorneys to a discussion of how civil unions can be done in a legal way, and what is illegal. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 29 at 2:00 PM, with a press conference to follow at 3:15 PM.

Citing the need to spare victims’ families any unnecessary delay in having sentences for federal capital cases carried out, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne today threatened to sue the Federal Government if it did not approve, within 90 days, Arizona’s application to qualify for expedited review of such cases.

In the last seven capital cases, Federal Habeas Corpus delayed justice being done between 10 and 13 years. Expedited status would require that the Federal District Court act within 450 days and the Court of Appeals act within 120 days of the filing of the last reply brief. This could shave approximately 10 years off the delay.        

In the wake of Monday’s Boston bombing, Attorney General Tom Horne is reminding Arizonans to take precautions when preparing to make any charitable or disaster relief donations.

“As of today, we have not received complaints about charitable scams resulting from the horrible events in Boston on Monday, but past experience has shown that scammers are not above cruelly taking advantage of a tragedy to rip off consumers,” Horne said.

Attorney General Tom Horne released the following statement on today’s bombing incidents in Boston, Massachusetts:

“One of the primary duties of my office is to be an advocate for people who have been victimized by acts of violence.  Today’s incidents in Boston were nothing less than despicable and cowardly attacks on innocent people.

In an effort to make young people aware of the tragedy of elder abuse, Attorney General Tom Horne and the Arizona Elder Abuse Coalition have partnered in the 2013 “Why Should I Care About Elder Abuse?” Junior High School Arts Competition.