SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Editor's note: The above video aired in 2020.
The destructive riots at Scottsdale Fashion Square that took place in the aftermath of George Floyd's death dominated the news cycle for days.
It began as a protest march on May 30, 2020 in downtown Scottsdale that then escalated into a chaotic scene of crowds breaking into retail shops and stealing merchandise.
The stolen items ranged from bottles of booze from P.F. Chang's to pricey Prada purses.
The riot's aftermath resulted in lawmakers introducing bills to revise Arizona's rioting laws, the governor implementing a curfew, and dozens of young people having their mugshots published online.
Scottsdale police said it arrested over 50 people in connection to the criminal damage and looting that took place at Fashion Square.
But what's happened to all those defendants nearly three years after the crime?
12News combed through several public databases and attempted to find every defendant who had been arrested in connection to the Fashion Square riot.
Some suspects were indicted with felonies, while others got misdemeanor charges.
The results show most of the offenders were placed on probation, a few went to prison, and many got their cases dismissed after making a deal with prosecutors.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office offers diversion programs that allow defendants to have their charges dropped if they complete educational classes or counseling. Many of the offenders tied to the Scottsdale riot were offered the chance to enter into a diversion program, records show.
No cases could be found for a handful of names of people that police reportedly arrested after the rioting and looting. One of those individuals told police he didn't attend the riots but admitted to driving his roommate to a pawn shop where the roommate sold some jewelry that turned out to be stolen from Scottsdale Fashion Square, court records show.
MCAO did not respond to an inquiry asking whether prosecutors declined to charge some of the people who had initially been arrested.
Police said many of the offenders were juveniles at the time of their arrest, meaning their names and cases can't be easily tracked in a public database.
What is House Bill 2059?
A bill recently introduced in the Arizona Legislature attempts to further criminalize the act of rioting by amending the state's laws.
House Bill 2059 alters the definition of first-degree burglary to include burglaries committed during a riot. The proposed legislation further states that someone who participates in a riot consisting of at least 25 people can be charged with a Class 3 felony.
HB2059 also states that any person who commits an offense in "furtherance of a riot or an unlawful assembly" shall be sentenced to the next higher class of offense than their original conviction.
If the bill's language had been implemented before the Scottsdale riot, then the criminal cases may have been prosecuted differently in court.
The following information was taken from records compiled by superior, justice, and city courts:
- Blaze Claeson, sentenced to probation for two years and complete 70 hours of community restitution.
- Angelo Brady, pleaded guilty in Scottsdale City Court
- Madison Mateevici-Dailey, case was dismissed after completing a diversion program
- Tyree Eubanks, sentenced to four years in the Arizona Department of Corrections
- Ramon Taylor, sentenced to 3.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections
- Nathaniel Bailey, sentenced to 3.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections
- Malik Stewart, sentenced to probation for three years
- Isaiah Delapaz, sentenced to probation for three years
- Amber Booher, pleaded guilty in Scottsdale City Court
- Jordan Burns, case was dismissed after completing a diversion program
- Raymus Bryant, sentenced to probation for two years
- Lanay Bailey, case was dismissed after completing a diversion program
- Taylor Clemons, conviction set aside in Scottsdale City Court
- Serenity Mansfield, case was dismissed after offered a diversion program
- Robert Rocha, sentenced to probation for two years and complete 100 hours of community restitution
- Alex Grangroth, pleaded guilty in Scottsdale City Court
- Devion Gardner-Jones, sentenced to probation for three years
- Shavanta Winfree, pleaded guilty and awaiting sentencing
- Tavin Pemberton, sentenced to probation for three years
- Robby Galarza, case was dismissed after completing a diversion program
- Brayan Huiqui, sentenced to probation for two years
- Alexander Bligh, sentenced to probation for three years and complete 100 hours of community restitution
- Christian Poineau, pleaded guilty in Scottsdale City Court
- Whitney Hannon, pleaded guilty in Scottsdale City Court
- Enrique Espinoza, case was dismissed after completing a diversion program
- Christopher Raybon, case dismissed in Scottsdale City Court
- Sky Black, agreed to complete a diversion program
- Jesus Sierra, court case still pending
- Joseph Garcia, court case still pending
- Paul Ruiz, court case still pending
- Aaron Medina, court case still pending
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