In a significant crackdown on criminal activity, the Arizona Department of Public Safety's Gang Task Force arrested two individuals, Robert Stevenson, 66, and Brooke Smith, 53, for possession and drug-related offenses, as reported by KGUN 9. These arrests took place following a search operation in Tucson that unveiled a trove of drugs and weaponry.
Executing a search warrant on February 16 near 5th Avenue and Rosemont Boulevard, agents discovered a horde of narcotics—heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The raid extended to a storage unit affiliated with one of the captured suspects, Stevenson and Smith, both of whom were seen to have a cache of firearms which they were not allowed to possess, according to ABC15 Arizona.
The AZDPS Gang & Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM), which led the investigation, reported seizing 80 firearms, including rifles and pistols of various calibers, in addition to over 12,400 rounds of ammunition. AZDPS confirmed several of the weapons had been reported stolen. Stevenson and Smith are prohibited inherently from having firearms due to previous offenses.
The suspects face numerous charges, stretching from possession of dangerous drugs for sale to theft of a firearm. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is handling the prosecution of this case. Both perpetrators were booked into the Pima County Jail, found to be in possession of a substantial quantity of drugs intended for distribution, alongside an arsenal of illegally obtained weaponry.
The Arizona State Gang Task Force's mission is to suppress criminal gangs and transnational crime through partnerships with citizens, law enforcement, and intelligence resources. This bust represents a significant step towards disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and firearms within the Tucson community and beyond.
