Wanted Man Located at Wife’s Cobblestone Residence as Authorities Execute $75K Warrant

A wanted man with a lengthy criminal history was apprehended on Saturday following a coordinated operation in Maricopa’s Cobblestone Farms neighborhood. Authorities believed George Martinez was residing there with his wife.

Maricopa Police Department officers discovered Martinez in a back bedroom of a Pioneer Road home just before noon. This arrest stemmed from a request for assistance by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, seeking Martinez in connection with an active felony warrant that carried a $75,000 bond.

The warrant originated from a 2019 aggravated DUI case in Maricopa County Superior Court, to which Martinez had pled guilty. Additional court documents reveal that he was previously convicted of escaping custody while facing felony charges in California in 1994.

After relocating from Bakersfield, California, to the Phoenix area around 2010, Martinez’s legal troubles intensified. In December 2021, Superior Court Judge Monica Garfinkel sentenced him to 4½ years in prison and mandated the payment of $3,153 in legal fees. His scheduled release was set for November 13 of this year, yet it remains unclear when he was released prior to his latest arrest, as he was on parole and considered a wanted individual.

The home where he was located had been purchased by his wife, Yvonne DeCasas, 59, in January 2021. This transaction occurred shortly after Martinez sought post-conviction relief from prison, a request that was denied.

Maricopa police reported that DeCasas cooperated with officers, surrendering her husband without incident. Initially unmarried when she acquired the residence with another man, Bryann Carbajal, DeCasas’s marital status changed after Martinez’s parole.

Martinez’s criminal history spans multiple jurisdictions and decades. In 2022, he pled guilty to aggravated harassment in Pinal County, and earlier, in 2018, he pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal trespass. His numerous arrests in Riverside County, California, include charges for grand theft auto and domestic violence. He faced additional charges in Apache Junction for fighting and assault but failed to respond to court summons for six consecutive years, leading to various warrants.

During this tumultuous period, Martinez was frequently entangled in legal disputes with his San Tan Valley homeowners association, insurance companies, banks, and creditors, as indicated by civil court records.

Overall, public records show that he has confronted more than 50 criminal charges across Arizona and Southern California. Following his latest arrest, Martinez was taken to Pinal County jail, where he remains in custody.