Coconino County Attorney's Office

09/04/2026

Congratulations to Bill Ring on receiving Coconino County's Medal of Merit. Bill has been a mentor, colleague, and friend to so many of us, and his judgment, integrity, and commitment to this community have shaped our office for years.

As Bill retires, Angela Lane will serve as Chief Civil Deputy and lead our Civil Division going forward.

We'll miss Bill and we are grateful for everything he has given to Coconino County!

Ring served in both the criminal and civil divisions before departing in 2001 to start his own practice. Ring returned to the county attorney’s office in 2012, and was elected to lead the office in 2016 and 2020.

09/01/2026

Cruz Garcia-Zamora was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison in two related cases arising from an investigation into train burglaries.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and federal partners have been actively targeting train burglaries in the area. During one such investigation, FPD, CCSO, DPS, and Homeland Security Investigations observed Garcia-Zamora and another man loading merchandise into a box truck near railroad tracks by Cosnino Road and Interstate 40. Officers later recovered Xbox headsets and packaging consistent with stolen train cargo.

Garcia-Zamora pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and received two years in prison.

A search of Garcia-Zamora’s phone also revealed multiple images of child s*xual abuse. He pleaded guilty to s*xual exploitation of a minor and attempted s*xual exploitation of a minor, both dangerous crimes against children.

Garcia-Zamora received 15 years in prison, followed by lifetime probation, and must register as a s*x offender. The two prison sentences will run consecutively.

08/31/2026

We're looking for a talented and dedicated public servant to join CCAO!

The Coconino County Attorney's Office is a public law office in Northern Arizona located in the heart of Flagstaff. We are a team of approximately 20 attorneys and 30 legal staff who are dedicated to the vigorous and fair prosecution of crime throughout Coconino County, protection of the rights of crime victims, and effective legal representation of the County and County special districts. The CCAO is one of largest law offices in Northern Arizona and sets the example at the State and National levels in vision and design for rural attorney offices.

We're currently accepting applications for the position of Deputy County Attorney I-IV. Applications are encouraged and accepted using this link:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/coconino/jobs/5452870/criminal-attorney-i-iv-county-attorney-0826

This position is ideal for those who have recently received their bar license and are looking to pursue a career as a felony prosecutor. Opportunity may be given to this attorney to second- chair felony criminal cases depending on the attorney’s experience, performance, and desire to do so. Coconino County is a vibrant and diverse organization that stands apart in innovation among our employees and service to our residents. We can't wait for you to join us!

08/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming Melanie Vega to the Coconino County Attorney’s Office, who is pictured here with County Attorney Ammon Barker.

Melanie recently joined our team as an Intake Legal Assistant after graduating from Northern Arizona University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. During her time at NAU, she gained valuable experience through internships with the Coconino County Superior Court, Coconino County Government Affairs Office, and the U.S. Department of State, while also serving in leadership and mentoring roles.

Melanie is bilingual in English and Spanish, speaks intermediate German, and began pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration this fall.

We are pleased to welcome Melanie to the team and look forward to the knowledge, dedication, and fresh perspective she will bring to the Coconino County Attorney’s Office.

08/25/2026

Samuel Bateman was sentenced today to 24 years in prison following his conviction on three counts of child abuse.

This Coconino County case arose from an August 2022 traffic stop in Flagstaff, when law enforcement discovered three girls, ages 11 to 14, inside an enclosed, unventilated cargo trailer Bateman was towing through Arizona. A Coconino County jury later found Bateman guilty on all three counts.

This case is separate from the federal prosecution involving Bateman’s s*xual abuse and exploitation of children. In that case, Bateman was sentenced in 2024 to 50 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transport a minor for criminal s*xual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Today’s 24-year state sentence will run consecutively to the federal sentence, meaning he will not begin serving it until the federal sentence is complete.

Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said:

“Today’s sentence is about accountability for the harm done to these young victims. It also ensures that Mr. Bateman will never again be in a position to harm a child. Protecting children from abuse is some of the most important work we do, and we will continue to do everything we can to hold accountable those who prey on the most vulnerable.”

We are grateful to the law enforcement officers, prosecutors, staff, and others whose work helped bring this case to justice.

Pictured, from left: Major Crimes Litigation Specialist Megan Carr-Studer, Deputy County Attorney Jefferson Pyper, Deputy County Attorney Eric Ruchensky, Detective Joseph Anderson, Paralegal Sasha Hoffa, and Victim Advocate Deborah Fresquez.

08/25/2026

Our annual County Attorney’s Office Picnic was a wonderful afternoon filled with great food, good conversations, games, and raffle prizes!

Our office takes pride in building connections and creating opportunities to bring our team and families together. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a great day!

08/21/2026

We’re hiring for a Legal Assistant! Join a team committed to justice, service, and making a real impact on our community. Our office is looking for a motivated, detail-oriented professional who wants to work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 4, 2026.

Under supervision performs work of moderate difficulty in supporting and assisting criminal and civil attorneys; performs related work as assigned.

08/20/2026

Defendant Robert Campbell was sentenced to 27 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for s*xually assaulting his 14-year-old stepdaughter on two occasions.

Following his prison sentence, Campbell will serve lifetime probation and be required to register as a s*x offender for life.

We acknowledge the tremendous courage of the victim and her family, who participated throughout the case and were present at sentencing.
We thank the Flagstaff Police Department for its excellent investigation and Deputy County Attorney Eric Ruchensky for his dedicated work prosecuting the case.

Cases involving the s*xual abuse of children are among the most devastating we prosecute. We remain committed to holding offenders accountable and supporting victims and their families throughout the criminal justice process.

08/19/2026

Congratulations to Bryan Shea, Megan Carr-Studer, Nick Hodder, Jonathan Kircher, and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office Civil Division, who were recently recognized by Coconino County at the National Public Service Award Ceremony!

Bryan was recognized for his years of outstanding work in our Criminal Division; Megan for her exceptional work supporting our most serious and complex cases; Nick for his excellent representation of County Facilities; and Jon Kircher for his work helping participants in Recovery Court.

Our Civil Division received multiple recognitions for its work supporting public health, workforce development, elections, mental health, and other important County initiatives.

We’re grateful for their hard work, professionalism, and commitment to serving Coconino County.

08/12/2026

The Coconino County Attorney’s Office was proud to host the Prosecution Academy, sponsored by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC). Rising 1Ls spent several days learning about case and trial preparation, charging decisions, Recovery Court, peacemaking, and the work of prosecutors—and even participated in a mock trial. The future of prosecution is bright!