TUCSON, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — A former Arizona beauty queen and law school student on Thursday was sentenced to two years in prison for her involvement in the kidnap and torture of her former boyfriend, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Kumari Fulbright, 28, pleaded guilty last December to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and aggravated assault as part of a plea agreement that determined the prison sentence. However, her plea agreement was almost revoked after a judge considered she had not lived up to the terms of it.

The former beauty queen was also sentenced to six years of probation. Her defense attorney asked for 18 months of probation but Pima County Superior Court Judge Michael Miller decided a much longer term.

According to the evidence shown in trial, Fulbright was dating Joshua Conway in the fall of 2007. She directed him to sell some jewelry that was given to her by former boyfriend Robert Ergonis, to which Conway complied.

Ergonis eventually came back for the jewelry and Fulbright lied to him and said that Conway stole and sold the jewels. Ergonis gathered two other men, David Radde and Larry Hammond in order to get the valuable items back.

Fulbright lured Conway into her apartment on December 8, 2007. Once inside, Ergonis and Radde attaked him while Hammond detained him. Fulbright alleged that they only intended to ask him where the jewelry was.

Conway was savagely beaten and cut with a knife. Furthermore, he was held at gunpoint for hours until he managed to escape. The four individuals involved were detained.

Ergonis was convicted on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated robbery charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week. Radde and Hammond entered deals and agreed to testify against Ergonis.

Fulbright also agreed to the same but prosecutors alleged that she did anything and everything to protect Ergonis and even told Radde what he should testify, thus violating her plea agreement.

The former beauty queen was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution and will be allowed to move to Florida when she serves her prison term.

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — Rapper DMX was arrested for the sixth time after not checking with his probation officer and thus violating the terms of his probation, his manager Nakia Walker confirmed on Friday.

DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was on parole after an assault conviction. He is being held without bail until a parole-revocation hearing which is scheduled for next Wednesday. The arrest was confirmed by the MC’s manager Nakia Walker.

“He just didn’t check in with his probation officer, and it’s just a matter of him not following the rules,” Walker said. “This is a difficult time in his life. He’s going through some things. When you don’t follow the rules, there’s consequences.”

DMX, 39, performed in Scottsdale a week ago after saying that he will never step foot in Arizona ever again, after being arrested several times by the Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office. The acclaimed rapper has lived in Maricopa County for almost a decade.

During this period, the singer has been arrested and convicted for a series of offenses such as theft, assault, drug possession and animal cruelty. The arrest came as the platinum-artist was preparing his comeback to the entertainment scene.

Earlier this week, he released a new single produced by Swizz Beatz as part of his series. The song is called “Ya’ll Don’t Really Know” and features Busta Rhymes.

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WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) — The U.S. State Department on Friday announced that a new international border crossing between Arizona and Sonora began operations.

The border crossing “San Luis II” will promote economic competitiveness at the same time that it enhances security. The project is part of a commitment to build a 21st century border between U.S. President Obama and his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon.

The new border crossing will connect San Luis, Arizona and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora. The new commercial border crossing will significantly improve traffic flow in both sides. In addition, the crossing will decrease people’s exposure to diesel fumes from idling trucks.

Last January the U.S. and Mexico opened the Anzalduas International Bridge between McAllen, Texas and Reynosa, Tamaulipas. It was the first new U.S.-Mexico bridge in 10 years.

These openings, along with multi-million dollar expansion and renovation projects at several other critical border crossings, will improve the flow of trade and enhance the safety, security, and environment of the U.S.-Mexico border.

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MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — A Maricopa county judge on Monday said that voters will be allowed to wear Tea Party t-shirts inside polling places in the upcoming 2010 general election.

According to the Arizona Republic, U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg made the announcement hours before polls opened for the general election. The ruling also applies to clothing representing other groups as long as it does not support or oppose a candidate on the ballot.

Last week, judge Teilborg issued a temporary injunction that allowed a Coconino County resident to wear apparel that supported the Tea Party. After that, Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne remarked that the ruling does not apply to any other kind of clothing than t-shirts.

“We’re not singling out the tea party. This applies to anybody wearing anything that is campaigning,” said the Maricopa County Elections Director.

If a voter shows up on election day wearing campaign-related apparel such as t-shirts, buttons, hats or stickers, he or she will be asked to remove it, cover it or turn it inside out.

The 2010 general election is scheduled to take place on Tuesday but the Tea Party is not an official political party in Arizona.

The Goldwater The Goldwater Institute, which is involved in the Coconino County lawsuit, sent Osborne a letter calling the county’s decision not to allow tea party shirts that don’t expressly advocate for or against someone or something on the ballot unreasonable and discriminatory.

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — Convicted killer Jeffrey Landrigan was executed on Tuesday night after 20 years on death row and concerns over the safety of the lethal injection, local media reported on Wednesday.

The Arizona State Prison in Florence pronounced convicted killer Jeffery Landrigan dead on Tuesday night at 10.26 p.m. local time. Landrigan was convicted in 1990 of murdering Chester Dyer of Phoenix in 1989 during a robbery. He has been on death row ever since.

Landrigan’s last words made reference to the sports teams of the University of Oklahoma, the Sooners. “Well, I’d like to say thank you to my family for being here and all my friends, and Boomer Sooner,” he stated.

On Monday, a federal judge in Arizona prevented Landrigan’s execution, questioning the safety of one of the drugs that were to be used during the execution. Since spring, executions have been delayed and slowed because of a shortage of barbiturates, which are used for executions, and the state of Arizona had to search overseas – the United Kingdom – for the substance.

Hospira, Inc., which is the only national manufacturer of sodium thiopental (the barbiturate) that is FDA approved, suspended its production of the substance about a year ago due to supply issues, but it is scheduled to resume production next year.

A few hours prior to the lethal injection, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 to lift the stay.

“There is no evidence in the record to suggest that the drug obtained from a foreign source is unsafe,” the court stated. “The district court granted the restraining order because it was left to speculate as to the risk of harm. There was no showing that the drug was unlawfully obtained, nor was there an offer of proof to that effect.”

Landrigan’s execution marked Arizona’s first since 2007.

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PHOENIX (BNO NEWS) — An Arizona student has been given a restraining order after he posted a threat on Twitter that was aimed towards a Maricopa County judge, the Arizona Republic reported on Tuesday.

Steve Russell, 22, said he is from a generation ‘where you post first, think later,’ he explained. Earlier this month, the newspaper reported, Russell had posted that he would not hesitate to punch Maricopa County Judge Ward Connerly in the face if he saw him.

But Connerly, who is apparently from a generation where a threat is a threat even if it is made in 140 characters or less, applied for a restraining order after he heard about or saw the tweet. It orders Russell to keep at least 100 feet (30 meters) away from Connerly.

Robyn Nebrich, interim executive director for the nonprofit Arizona Students’ Association where Russell is an intern, told the Arizona Republic that Russell had made a bad joke. “It wasn’t really meant as a threat,” Nebrich told the newspaper. “He didn’t realize the implications of what he was saying. Steve really regrets doing it. He is definitely learning from the experience.”

Connerly does not have to expect an apology from Russell however, as the restraining order also prevents him from having any contact with the judge.

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MESA, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — Boeing on Monday announced that it received a $247 million contract from the U.S. Army for beginning low rate initial production for the AH-64D Apache Block III helicopter, arguably the most advanced multirole-combat helicopter.

“The Apache Block III helicopter program is the cornerstone of our U.S. Army customer’s plan of continued sustainment through modernization,” said Tommy Filler, acting vice president of Boeing Apache and AH-6 Programs.

The contract was signed on October 22 and covers the production of eight AH-64D Apache helicopters in the Lot 1 configuration. On October 7, an Acquisition Decision Memorandum signed by the U.S. Department of Defense authorized the program to enter the low rate initial production phase to produce 51 aircraft. The first delivery is scheduled for October 2011.

“The road map for the Apache Block III program has been clearly defined and the U.S. Army and Boeing are successfully working together to provide these advanced attack helicopters to soldiers in the field,” said Lt. Col. Dan Bailey, Apache Block III product manager for the U.S. Army.

The Apache Block III helicopter enhances the capabilities of the combat-proven AH-64D Apache with superior flight performance and increased networked communications capabilities. The helicopters will be assembled, flight tested and delivered from the Boeing Global Strike facility in Mesa, Arizona.

“Working together throughout the Apache Block III program’s system development and demonstration phase since 2006, the Army, Boeing and our industry teammates have achieved our objectives on cost and on schedule,” said Scott Rudy, Apache Block III program manager for Boeing. “I’m confident that the team will continue to effectively apply its collective expertise as the program moves into the production phase.”

The aviators will benefit from an improved drive system featuring the 701D engine, composite main rotor blades and a new split-torque face gear transmission, as well as increased networked communications capabilities.

The Apache Block III also features open systems architecture and 26 advanced technology improvements, including level 4 unmanned aerial vehicle control for increased situational awareness.

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TUCSON, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — An Arizona man on Wednesday was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for drug trafficking related offenses, prosecutors said.

Miguel Eduardo Martinez, 37, of Tucson, Arizona, also known as “Indio,” was a member of a drug trafficking organization based in Tucson that from 2002 until 2008, distributed approximately 22,000 pounds of marijuana.

The Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested key members of the organization and found an AK-47, AR-15 assault rifles and a hand grenade at his residence during a search warrant. 

“Supplying ten tons of marijuana, maintaining a cache of weapons, and operating a conspiracy over a six year time span all add up to a deserved 30 year prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. “This prosecution is an example of our office’s continuing commitment to dismantle these drug conspiracies.”

In 2005, Martinez was linked to an attempted murder of a relative when that relative committed a home invasion against one of Martinez’s drug customers. The relative was shot twice, once in the eye and once in the arm.

Considering his previous offenses, Chief Judge Roll sentenced Martinez to 30 years in a federal prison.

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BELLEMONT, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — A tornado touched down in the unincorporated community of Bellemont in central Arizona on early Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service reported.

The tornado touched down just before 6.30 a.m. MST in Bellemont, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) west-northwest of Flagstaff in Coconing County.

The National Weather Service reported that the tornado caused damage to a number of businesses in the area and also damaged roofs and fences. The agency also derailed a train and overturned several trucks, it added.

Other details were not immediately available.

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) — An Arizona man was found guilty for a brutal murder he committed in an Indian community, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Eugene Joseph Escalanti, 34, of Tucson, Arizona and an enrolled member of the Quechan Indian Tribe, on July 19, 2009, tied and massacred a man to death in a remote area of the Gila River Indian Community.

Escalanti was negotiating the sale of a recreational vehicle with the victim when he began assaulting the victim with a pair of pruning shears. He then bound the victim’s hands together and directed a witness to drive them to the remote area. Once in the reservation, Escalanti beat the victim with a wrench and slit his throat, killing him.

“This was a senseless and brutal act of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. “Marshaling the evidence necessary to convict this defendant took an extraordinary amount of time, effort and old-fashioned police work on the part of law enforcement.”

Escalanti was found guilty by a federal jury on June 25 of First Degree Murder, Kidnapping and First Degree Murder/Felony Murder. On Monday, Escalanti was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to three concurrent life sentences in a federal prison.

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