Maricopa’s history is filled with stories that shaped the community we know today. From major business openings to unusual rescues, community projects, and even headline-making arrests, each year has left its mark.
Here is a look back at memorable moments in Maricopa’s history from 2005 through 2020.
2020
Ex-Maricopa County Sheriff’s detective Christopher Butts was arrested twice in Maricopa sting operations targeting child predators. Butts was first arrested in March in Cobblestone Farms after allegedly soliciting a 13-year-old online. Out on bond months later, he was caught again in a late summer undercover sting after arranging to meet a girl he believed was underage, agreeing to bring Chick-fil-A to the encounter. Instead, Butts fled when he said he spotted “unmarked popo cars,” according to police, who later arrested him at his job at Big O Tires. He pleaded guilty to aggravated luring a minor for exploitive sex in Pinal County Superior Court.
2015
Eagle Scout candidate Austin Long organized a team of volunteers to clean the exterior and renovate the interior of the California Zephyr Silver Horizon at the Maricopa Amtrak station. “We’ll be fixing the frame, replacing some screws and cleaning it because it’s really dirty,” Long said. “We’re power washing the outside because the train was in a movie called Pearl Harbor and the movie makers painted it. It doesn’t look very good, so we’re going to have that paint removed.”
2010
Pinal County Animal Care and Control officers, working with the sheriff’s and attorney’s offices, seized 152 cats and 19 dogs from a Hidden Valley home. “The house was simply filthy with no running water,” PCACC director Ruth Stalter said. “It was shocking. This is the largest rescue from hoarding-type conditions in the history of Animal Care and Control.” Officials used a horse trailer to move the animals to a shelter, and those healthy enough were adopted out. In 2004, PCACC had removed 58 cats and 40 dogs from the same homeowner.
Over 170 animals seized from Hidden Valley home
2005
The Fry’s Marketplace center was bustling with new businesses in September 2005. On Aug. 31, Fry’s opened its doors, soon followed by The UPS Store, Wells Fargo, XTreme Fitness, Cost Cutters and Above & Beyond Nails Spa. At the time there was no Starbucks inside, but in its place was Tully’s Coffee Shop, complete with its own chairs and couches.
