(First InMaricopa) A pre-dawn traffic stop on Maricopa’s main strip Saturday led to a drug arrest, an outstanding warrant and a federal immigration case now being handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to authorities.
It was shortly after 3 a.m. when an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper stopped a vehicle with no license plate near Edison Road on State Route 347, one of two state highways in Maricopa where DPS holds primary enforcement authority.
During the stop, the passenger, identified as 24-year-old Eternity Mireya Rios, was found to have an active warrant out of Eloy. Officers also observed used hypodermic syringes in the vehicle, according to the probable cause statement.
Rios told officers she had been stopped earlier that evening by Maricopa police in connection with a shoplifting incident and had been cited and released.
A search incident to arrest led to the discovery of a small baggie on Rios that later tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the report. She was booked into the Pinal County jail.
The driver, identified as Francisco Ceja-Escalante, was determined by DPS to be an undocumented immigrant. He required medical treatment by Maricopa Fire personnel and was transported to a local hospital. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted, and federal agents will handle further investigation, Maricopa Police Department spokesperson Monica Williams told InMaricopa.
Williams said MPD’s role was limited to assisting DPS during the stop.
“Members of ICE will be handling further investigation involving Ceja-Escalante,” she said. “MPD has no further involvement.”
The incident comes amid ongoing public scrutiny and confusion about immigration enforcement activity along SR 347.
Police Chief Mark Goodman last month told InMaricopa the department does not enforce federal immigration laws or participate in federal immigration agreements.
“If a federal agency contacts the MPD for assistance in keeping the peace, protecting people and preventing escalation, we will respond,” Goodman said.
SR 347 and State Route 238 are state highways, where DPS, not MPD, has primary jurisdiction for traffic enforcement.
Monica D. Spencer contributed.
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13 Responses
*makes popcorn* Wait wait, let me get set before we start…
Wait for what? Sounds like everything worked the way it’s supposed to. If we had this COOPERATION across the country DHS would be funded. I’ll leave it at that. Have to say that I am disappointed in MPD refusing to work with the Feds. Their reason is sound but if you’re here illegally I want you on your way home.
Oh, I agree this is an example of how it should work. This is how I remember it working during the Obama years.
For me personally, it’s never been what they were doing that was objectionable as much as how they were doing it.
I like Homan in charge a lot more than Noem, with her abject cruelty and flying affair jet. We’ll see what good ole’ Markwayne brings us…
Also, just a note that DHS could’ve been funded today thanks to a bipartisan agreement in the Senate but the House Republicans decided to throw a hissy. I doubt Mike Johnson magically grew a pair so I’m sure those orders came from The Mad King himself… Sigh…
Wasn’t that bi-partisan agreement the one that had $0 for Border Patrol and ICE? Wasn’t that the one that got approved at 3AM with all the Senators jumping on plans for their 2 week recess? Isn’t that the one that had ZERO reforms that the Democrats had been demanding until this got approved? So yeah, the house had a sissy fit and they weren’t wrong. Just saying. Now Congress has to come back after their recess and now there won’t be any TSA leverage. This sounds kind of familiar…. pattern maybe? Just saying.
You know what I want to see? I want to see everybody in congress think for themselves and represent the people. Both sides are FUBAR. And about the only one with a spine is Fetterman. I never thought I’d say that. I’ve always been conservative, but I always voted for who I thought was the best candidate for the people. Now I’m just mad all the time.
Yeah, it was a stop-gag measure for sure and you make fair points that are well taken.
And yeah, Democrat leadership hasn’t exactly been playing three dimensional chess lately… as in the last decade or so… Schumer and Jeffries need to go.
YES! Yes! Well said. For all my shenanigans on here, squabbling with my boyfriend TAB and whatnot, I tend to be more of a centrist and will vote the same way. Local example being Teresa Martinez. I love what she’s done for our community and her party affiliation doesn’t swing me one way or the other. I would vote for Massey if I could, just for having the courage to stand up to Trump over the Epstein files. And I like Fetterman too, especially when he pisses off the left. 😂
lol the funny part is that Maricopa was built by illegal immigrants. Go to any new build jobsite. 70% of the people working are undocumented. Yet you have no problem living in a home they built
Have you notified ICE about this newly developing news?
Comment of the year candidate 😂🤣😂 PREACH!!!
Well done, “Elias”! Excellent point.
It’s a great thing that our immigration laws are being enforced, but I wonder why the driver needed medical treatment?
This is odd. The reporting is a bit spotty to say the least.
I worked in fire/ems for 3 decades. I used to see it all the time. People will fake a medical emergency thinking that it will get them out of trouble with law enforcement if they go to the hospital.
Just like how people think pleading insanity will get them anywhere better.
Assume the driver had been in contact with the drugs. Overdoses need medical help.
Ice Ice Baby!