PAYSON, Ariz. — Two Wisconsin residents were detained in Arizona last week after bags of fentanyl pills and illegally-modified handguns were allegedly found in their vehicle.
Kendale Aldridge, 22, and Anthony Spight, 39, were arrested after an Arizona state trooper initiated a traffic stop on State Route 87 in the Payson area last Thursday.
The trooper used a police dog to inspect the vehicle. During the search, officials reported finding 10 pounds of suspected fentanyl pills, a stolen firearm, and two handguns that had been illegally modified.
DPS said the Wisconsin residents are now facing charges of transporting narcotics, possessing a prohibited weapon, firearm theft, and failing to admit to carrying a deadly weapon.
Spight also had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest.
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?:
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.