Category: kyma-local-news

Karina Bazarte

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The man who police say tried to light a store on fire in Calexico made his first court appearance.

38-year-old Jesse Romero was formally charged last Friday.

Calexico police say Romero went into a Walmart trying to set things on fire and fought people inside the store two weeks ago. Police say Romero also attempted to disarm one of the officers of his taser and firearm.

Officers say Romero has been convicted of arson in the past.

Imperial County District Attorney George Marquez says Romero faces up to 12 years in prison.

“What I can tell you I can speak in generality is that when a person has a criminal history it can add to their potential exposure in their current case…so let’s say for example someone who may have a conviction it can add years in prison to their current case,” Marquez said.

Romero is facing multiple felony charges, including attempted arson, felony assault and felony resisting arrest.

He is being held on a bail of $100,000 and is expected to be back in court later this month.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) announced the arrest of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent for sexual conduct with a minor.

YPD says they received information from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility last week in regards to “inappropriate behavior involving one of their agents and a minor.”

During the investigation, YPD says officers learned the agent, 30-year-old Ramon Marquez, was “involved in sexual relations” with a 16-year-old girl who knew him.

Following this, YPD says Marquez was arrested Monday in Wellton before 9:00 a.m., and was booked on five felony counts, including sexual exploitation of a minor.

If anyone has any information regarding the case, call Detective Sergeant Frank Saenz at (928) 373-4767 or 78-CRIME at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.

Sexual Conduct with a Minor 25-26584Download

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) announced the arrest of three men for possessing narcotics on Monday.

YCSO says it happened at around 6:40 a.m. in the area of E. 25th Place and S. James Avenue after the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force, consisting of officers and agents from YCSO, Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol, issued a search warrant.

During the search, YCSO says the task force, with the help of YCSO K-9 “Aisha,” found the following items:

Almost 11,000 counterfeit Fentanyl pills with the M30 imprint, “marketed and stamped to resemble and imitate Oxycodone Hydrochloride,” with an estimated street value of $32,976.

A loaded firearm

An inoculation of liquid Methamphetamine

3.44 grams of Methamphetamine in crystalline form

Multiple items of drug paraphernalia indicative of street sales

Following the discovery, YCSO says three men were arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center on the following charges:

A 41-year-old man from Yuma: Possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia

A 39-year-old man from Yuma: Possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia

A 42-year-old man from Yuma: Possession of a narcotic for sales, possession of a narcotic, possession of a weapon in a drug offense, possession of a weapon by prohibited possessor and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Mail carriers across Yuma County are participating in the 2025 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this weekend.

Taking place this Saturday, mail carriers will pick up bags of non-perishable food items, which people will leave next to their mailbox.

This is an annual event hosted by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) whose goal is to benefit food pantries throughout the United States.

To learn more about the upcoming event, contact NALC Branch 1642 at (928) 304-1908 or click here.

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Miriam Ordonez

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Enjoy a fun evening while helping a couple of local non-profits in Yuma this week.

The “Come Wine With Us” event is this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Yuma City Hall.

Enjoy wine, appetizers, entertainment and a great chance to mingle with other businesses along with Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls.

The proceeds this year go to the Hansen House and Yuma Child Burn Survivors.

Tickets are $50 per person. If anyone wants to purchase tickets, they can contact the following people:

Steve Irr with Hansen House: (928) 502-9755

Brandy Wright with Yuma Child Burn Survivors: (928) 246-7133

The event is for ages 21 and up.

For more information, call (928) 329-1700.

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Miriam Ordonez

TACNA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A semi-truck carrying U.S. mail caught on fire at a Shell gas station in Tacna, according to the Wellton Fire Department’s (WFD) Facebook post.

On Saturday, fire crews from Wellton and Tacna were able to stop the flames from destroying the entire trailer, saving about half of the mail.

Courtesy: Wellton Fire Department

The driver suffered minor burns and was taken to Onvida Health.

In addition, WFD said U.S. Border Patrol help the fire crews by “activating the emergency fuel shut-off switch” and supported the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office with traffic control.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial County District Attorney’s Office has launched a targeted firearm relinquishment program.

The program is in collaboration with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) and the Imperial County Superior Court of California, and is said to “improve enforcement of court-ordered firearm prohibitions and enhance community safety.”

According to a press release obtained by KYMA, the partnership between the D.A.’s Office, ICSO and the Superior Court “allows for streamlined communication, better public guidance on how to properly relinquish firearms, and investigative follow-up when individuals are believed to be out of compliance.”

In addition, the program is said to build on the Firearm Violence Reduction Initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the D.A.’s Office and ICSO, to “identify, prioritize, and disarm individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms.”

The D.A’s Office is also said to be assigning two full-time investigators to the program to ensure “attention to reviewing cases, conducting investigations, and enforcing court-ordered firearm prohibitions.”

“This program strengthens our ability to enforce the law and protect victims,” said George Marquez, District Attorney for Imperial County. “By working in concert with the Imperial County Superior Court and Sheriff’s Office, we’re closing the gap between court orders and enforcement, which ultimately makes our community safer.”

Sheriff Fred Miramontes added, “By closely working with the District Attorney and the Superior Court, we will safely remove firearms and ammunition from individuals that are prohibited from possessing firearms, thereby ensuring our communities are safer.”

To learn more about the program, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.

5.1.25 FRG ProgramDownload

5.1.25 programa armas de fuegoDownload

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) has identified the victims killed in a shooting from over the weekend.

YCSO identified the victims as 52-year-old Jose Martinez of Yuma and 48-year-old Jose Guevara of Somerton.

YCSO says there was a third victim, a man, who drove himself to Onvida Health after being shot. The third victim is said to be in stable condition.

Elisa Soto, a neighbor that lives close to the area where the shooting took place says it is scary to have something like this happen to close to home.

“Fear. It brings one fear…There’s no vigilance here. It’s a problem. You just have to lock yourself in your house you know…May God protect us,” said Soto.

The shooting took place at around 2:20 p.m. Saturday, in the area of W. Wall Lane and S. Somerton Avenue, after they received a 911 call “with a silent open line,” YCSO says.

YSCO explains that if they do receive a silent open line, they will send out someone to make sure everything is okay.

“Anybody that calls 911 will have a deputy dispatch to the area to be able to make contact with the person calling…even if they’re isn’t a person on the phone, on the line, if they’re not speaking,” said Tania Pavlak from YCSO.

Upon arrival, YCSO says deputies found two people with apparent gunshot wounds, but both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

YCSO says they don’t have a suspect in custody at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.

If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or visit YCSO’s website to submit an anonymous tip.

PR-2025-22-Homicide-UPDATEDownload

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is investigating a stabbing which left one man dead.

YPD says they responded to the area of S. Madison Avenue and E. 28th Street at around 10:20 p.m. Sunday after receiving reports of an aggravated assault.

After officers arrived, YPD says they found a 30-year-old man near a driveway with a stab wound. The man was taken to Onvida Health where he later died.

Neighbors say the stabbing is highly unusual for the area.

“This is the first time ever that someone’s been stabbed or murdered in this neighborhood,” said local resident Stephanie Garcia. “It’s a really quiet neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone, kids are going to work, going to school, if there’s a party, everyone’s invited.”

YPD says they don’t have a suspect in custody at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.

If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YPD at (928) 373-4700 or 78-CRIME at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. If the information leads to an arrest, they may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Homicide 25-27697Download

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Samuel Kirk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Chills, thrills, and plenty of ghostly fun took over the Yuma Territorial Prison last night during The Witching Hour, a sold-out celebration for National Paranormal Day.

Hundreds gathered at the historic site Saturday evening for an immersive paranormal experience that included cemetery tours, palm readings, a brand-new Paranormal Hologram Exhibit, and a late-night screening of “The Conjuring.”

“There’s always magic here at the Yuma Territorial Prison,” said Yanna Kruse, Prison Director. “This is a rich source of Yuma history. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate this event with the community.”

Guests with the highly coveted Witching Hour tickets stayed as late as 3:00 a.m., exploring the haunted grounds under the desert moonlight. Twilight ticket holders enjoyed all core attractions until 11:00 p.m.

With local food vendors on-site and the popular Potions Bar keeping the drinks flowing, the atmosphere was electric from the moment gates opened at 6:30 p.m.

Organizers say they’re already looking ahead to future events after the overwhelming response from the community.

For updates on future happenings at the Yuma Territorial Prison, check our Events page HERE.

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