Former corrections officer faces 2 felonies
Former corrections officer Jay B. Brill was arraigned in Yuma Justice Court Monday afternoon, where he was informed by Justice of the Peace Greg Stewart that he’d been charged with two felonies stemming from his arrest last week.
Stewart explained to Brill that prosecutors from the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, after reviewing his case, had filed a criminal complaint against him, charging him with one count of possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Brill was represented by Phoenix attorney Sam Harvison, who waived the formal reading of the indictment and the further advisement of his client’s rights.
In addressing Brill’s bail, Stewart said that prosecutors were asking that it be increased to $7,000, however, since no one from the county attorney’s office was present for the hearing, he declined the request.
Brill, who according to court records had been a sergeant at the Arizona State Prison Complex — Yuma in San Luis, is out of custody after posting a $5,000 bail. He was taken into custody last week by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force on state drug and gun charges.
On Wednesday, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) served a search warrant at his residence, which is located in the 1000 block of E. 26th St.
Court records also indicated that special agents found 0.2 grams of methamphetamine and six weapons during the execution of the search warrant of his residence on Wednesday. The weapons were a .22 caliber pistol, a Smith and Wesson .42 caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun and three automatic rifles.
The search warrant was served as part of a federal investigation, but an official with the agency has declined to say why Brill is under investigation.
Stewart also scheduled Brill’s next court date, a preliminary hearing for 4 p.m. on Aug. 9, but told him that his case would probably go before the grand jury before then.