Maricopa County Attorney. Veteran prosecutor, #AZ native. Fighting to keep our neighborhoods safe and our County secure.
Opinions are my own.
Joined March 2019
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“Let me be clear: assaulting a police officer, or hurting another person, or damaging property for any reason is not acceptable and those who do so will be held accountable for their unlawful actions."
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
THIS THURSDAY! Dinner, community, and resources for your family 🍽️
Join us in Maryvale for a Spanish-language Drug Forum. Come hungry, leave informed, and connect with the resources and people who can help keep our families and neighborhoods safe.
📅 Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
🕒 Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
📍 Location: Marc T. Atkinson Middle School Gym (Steve Gallardo Event Center)
🍎 Food and drinks provided!
This event is free and open to the public. Families are welcome, and we encourage you to bring yours!
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
Robert Celifie has been sentenced to natural life in prison for orchestrating the murder of Ilya “Mike the Barber” Shimonov. The victim operated a mobile barber shop and had just completed a haircut appointment when he was fatally shot.
“This defendant may not have been the one who pulled the trigger, but through his actions he condemned this victim to death just the same. Thanks to the work of @ScottsdalePD and prosecutor Richard Dusterhoft, this violent individual will spend the rest of his life in prison.” - County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell
“The resolution of this case reflects the exceptional work, determination, and persistence of our Scottsdale detectives and the many law enforcement partners who assisted in this complex, multistate investigation. I am proud of their efforts and grateful to the County Attorney’s Office for helping bring this case to a successful conclusion. Most importantly, we hope this outcome brings some measure of justice and peace to the victim’s family.” – Scottsdale Police Chief, Joe LeDuc
Read the full story here: ow.ly/TZXL51014sb
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
The Arizona Supreme Court has approved Grand Canyon University's proposal for a new college of law. @gcu's law school will be the state's third.
Great work by @PeoriaPoliceAZ
Peoria police say investigators used license plate reader technology to track down a 32-year-old man across state lines, rescuing two sex trafficking victims. @meganspectortv reports. fox10phoenix.com/news/licens…
Great work by @MesaPD and @MarcoAttorney DCA David Hanselman.
James Amalfi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Manslaughter, a Class Two Felony.
“This defendant knew the fentanyl he was supplying could cause a fatal overdose and sold it anyway. Two children have lost their father, a wife has lost her husband, and a family is left with a devastating loss. Thanks to the work of prosecutor David Hanselman, this defendant received one of the highest penalties we’ve seen in cases of this type and will now spend two decades in prison.” - County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell
Read more about this case here: ow.ly/atST50ZTjSX
ALT Maricopa County Attorney's Office news release announcing fentanyl dealer James Amalfi sentenced for overdose death.
First, my prayers are with Matthew and his family.
To be clear: My office has been working with ASU PD since day one of this investigation. We also have offered resources and other assistance. Once the investigation is completed by ASU PD, my office will review this matter at the highest level.
It is not wise to be conducting separate and simultaneous investigations in this type of case. MCAO is a prosecution agency—we do not take over investigations from law enforcement.
NEW: Maricopa County Attorney won’t launch independent investigation into the collapse of ASU hockey player Matthew Mayich. His parents renew their call for an investigation separate from ASU. Story with @ReyCJrAZ via @azcentral
azcentral.com/story/news/inv…
Threats to children or people in public service, regardless of political party, will not be tolerated in Maricopa County.
@MarcoAttorney asked for $250K cash bond (100%). Court set $100K secured bond (10%). Even the accused appeared surprised. They know.
azfamily.com/2026/09/21/man-…
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
This week would have marked the 19th birthday for Preston Lord, a Queen Creek teen who was killed at a 2023 Halloween party. On what is now honored as "Preston Lord Day" every Sept. 23 in the city of Chandler, the teen's father, Nick Lord, wore his son's favorite color and reflected on the sense of pride he holds for his son. He also thanked the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and East Valley community for standing by the family.
Lord said he's heard "Preston's Law" has helped law enforcement in other cases. The law increases penalties in assault cases when three or more assailants attack one person.
One of several people accused of participating in the attack that killed Preston Lord, Talyn Vigil, was also back in court this month because of an unrelated drag-racing arrest in Tempe. In response, Nick Lord said, "Honestly, I can't understand the mindset," he told @balin_om.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
Gary Crawford was sentenced to natural life in prison plus an additional 21 years for murdering his stepfather and trying to kill his mother.
“This defendant’s family took him in, and he betrayed them in the worst way imaginable. This sentence ensures he spends the rest of his life in prison, exactly where he belongs. My thoughts are with the victims' families as they continue to grieve and try to heal.” - Maricopa County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell
Read more about this case here: ow.ly/x0Xy50ZQPr0
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
They say a positive attitude can tip the scales in your favor. Ben Sasse has so much he could be angry and discouraged about right now, but instead he’s showing gratitude for his family, his doctors, modern medicine, and every day he has with the people he loves.
That’s a pretty remarkable way to face something so awful. Wishing him and his family strength, hope, and healing.
Thx for the prayers — Turns out cutting out chunks of yer liver is no joke, man.
Good news, bad news, and next steps…
Good: big liver surgery last week successfully cleared out a bunch o cancer. (Pretty darn great — considering 9 mons ago, when told I had 3-4 months to live, surgery wasn't even an option.)
Bad: Tests on the tumors show they were more advanced than we thought — meaning always-mutating tumors have developed some resistance tricks to our former treatment protocol.
Bummer but that's life, and was eventually expected.
Next:
We're gunna change up treatment to carpet-bomb-chemo as much of the rest of the cancer as we can for a bit.
Send chemo tips -- do NOT send more Nickelback promotional materials (am painfully aware they’ll be performing at the Hondo Rodeo Fest in Febr).
Grateful to God for this extra time — both time w/ fam and time to fight. Can't say enough good things about…
- daraxonrasib
- MD Anderson’s incredible team of docs, nurses, techs, & researchers
- my wife: Melissa rocks. She’s laughing-crying-fighting-prayin with me every day. Best human I know.
- Corrie, Alex, and Breck are beyond awesome.
Devastating news. Senator Kyl was, in the truest sense of the word, a statesman. In addition to his many, many accomplishments, some do not know the efforts he extended to help children and other victims of sex crimes by championing evidence rule changes which continue to have an incredibly positive impact. My prayers go out to his family.
Jon Kyl, an Arizona political giant who served in Congress for nearly three decades, has died ktar.com/arizona-politics-ne…
So proud to know him. Maricopa County detective discovers his image in iconic 9/11 photo azfamily.com/2026/09/12/mari…
Great work by people @PhoenixPolice and @MarcoAttorney! 65 years.
Trey Waters has been sentenced to 65 years in prison for a string of violent armed robberies in Phoenix in which two people were shot. Both victims survived.
“A guilty verdict on every count, followed by a sentence of this length, sends an unmistakable message that anyone who terrorizes innocent people with a gun will be held accountable. This conviction was truly a team effort by MCAO prosecutors, @PhoenixPolice who stopped Waters before he could hurt anyone else, the brave witnesses who testified in court, and one of Waters’ own family members who helped identify him.” - County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell
Read more about this case here: ow.ly/SkFY50ZL1g1
My heart goes out to his friends and family and those at @PhoenixPolice. I am grateful for his service.
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Sgt. James Lukash #8125, who passed away at the hospital following a medical event at home. Sgt. Lukash was a 22-year veteran of the department.
Rest in peace, Sgt. Lukash, you will be dearly missed.
ALT A person in a police uniform stands in front of an American flag. Text at the bottom reads, "Rest in Peace Sergeant James Lukash, September 3, 2026."
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell retweeted
Ali Alebadi* has been indicted for a high-speed crash and pursuit that killed one person and seriously injured two others in Glendale.
He is currently being held on a $3 million cash bond. Trial is set for April 2027.
Read more about this case here: ow.ly/PF8Y50ZIZsh
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
