Police suspect arson at house tied to drug scheme

A house in El Mirage caught fire Thursday morning, a day after multiple people in a home were arrested in connection with an extensive narcotics investigation. Police arrested Jordan Christman, 18, and an unnamed juvenile boy on suspicion of burglary, theft and arson. El Mirage police detectives believe the two stole from the house on the night of Wednesday and returned at 4 a.m. Thursday, when the fire started.

Neighborhood surveillance videos show two people running from the home just before the fire started, officials said. Police recovered stolen property from the two suspects Christman and the boy after searching the juvenile's home.

Lt. Tim Mason, a spokesman for the El Mirage Police Department, said the fire caused significant damage, but the home was unoccupied during the blaze.

The morning before the fire, police had searched the house near El Mirage and Thunderbird roads along with two other nearby properties as part of a narcotics investigation that began six months ago. Detectives in the El Mirage Police Department were aided by SWAT teams from Surprise and Goodyear.

Mason said police arrested a total of eight adults they believe to be connected with drug activity at the three El Mirage homes.

Ciara Faith Bailey and Shalena Spear were arrested on suspicion of child abuse. Markee Bailey, Markee Bishop Bailey and JR Torhon Bailey were charged with money laundering and illegally conducting an enterprise.

All suspects except for Spear were also charged with various drug crimes.