Man in hot tub charged with trespassing

A Maricopa man is facing trespassing charges after his arrest Monday.

Anthony Alaniz, 22, was charged with first-degree criminal trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia when he was caught in a stranger’s backyard, police said.

Around 7 a.m., Maricopa police responded to a report of suspicious activity at a home on North Donithan Way in the Villages. The caller told dispatch that a Hispanic male, later identified as Alaniz, was seen entering their neighbor’s fenced backyard and was sitting in the homeowner’s hot tub. The caller stated the family was out of town at the time, police said.

Officers made contact with Alaniz while he was still in the hot tub. While being interviewed, Alaniz said he did not live at the home, did not know the homeowners, nor did he have permission to be there. He had no reason for his motive of trespassing in the backyard, police said.

When asked how he got there, Alaniz responded, “I don’t know.”

A black backpack was also found by officers on the front porch of the home that belonged to Alaniz. They alleged found a marijuana e-cigarette in the pack and greenish-brown substance with a strong odor emanating from it. The substance was identified as THC oil. Alaniz denied ownership of the e-cigarette and claimed he had no knowledge of where it came from, police said.

Alaniz had been arrested previously by Maricopa police in June on an outstanding warrant after he was found staggering in the overpass roadway, intoxicated.

Alaniz was arrested and booked into Pinal County Jail.