Arizona Attorney General’s Office Prosecutes Firearms Trafficker

Tucson -- Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich today announced that Defendant Charles Arthur Cagle of Tucson, Arizona was convicted in Pima County Superior Court of 15 felonies, which included possession of methamphetamine for sale, trafficking in firearms, involving a minor in a drug offense, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Cagle conducted his illegal activities out of a midtown Tucson apartment at 1 East Navajo Road, Tucson Arizona 85705 across from Amphitheater High School. From June 2012 to September 2012, Cagle sold methamphetamine and illegal guns to undercover police officers from the Tucson Police Department’s Street Crimes Interdiction Unit posing as drug runners for Mexican cartels.  During this time period, Cagle also conspired to lead his criminal associates in conducting a home invasion to steal cocaine from another drug trafficker. Cagle, who provided an illegal sawed-off shotgun that could blow down doors for use in the home invasion, was unaware he was communicating with undercover detectives. When the Tucson Police Department executed a search warrant at Cagle’s residence on September 27, 2012, they found nearly $10,000 in methamphetamine, over 12 firearms, and numerous knives.

Cagle has two prior convictions from Pima County and is facing between 10 ½ and 165 years in prison based on the jury’s guilty verdicts. He is also facing two additional trials in Pima County and remains in custody at the Pima County Jail. Sentencing will be set after the two other cases are concluded.

“This conviction should send a strong message to anyone doing illegal business with Mexican cartels,” said General Brnovich. “Our law enforcement agencies will not allow these criminals to operate in our communities, near our children.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Nanette Morrow and Nicholas Klingerman.

For more information, contact the Attorney General's Office at (602) 542-5025.