Recently in Other Misdemeanors Category

Pinal County Animal Care & Control removed nearly 100 dogs and exotic birds from a home in Maricopa on Tuesday in a case of "extreme animal hoarding," reports azfamily.com.

Two people apparently lived in the contaminated home, which was reportedly covered in garbage and several inches of fecal manner, according to Animal Control.

"We worked this incident in fear for our own health," Kaye Dickson told azfamily.com. "I cannot fathom how the two adult residents were able to live there."

The subject of animal hoarding has produced a hit show for TV network Animal Planet entitled "Confessions: Animal Hoarding." But it is a serious condition that can have legal consequences if taken too far.

Take, for example, a Scottsdale woman who could be facing animal neglect charges for housing 27 small dogs and several reptiles in her home, according to azfamily.com.

The holiday season is our favorite time of the year, but we know it's not all merry and bright. There are would-be Grinches out there ready to make your holiday a not-so-jolly one. Luckily, the Phoenix Police Department has released a few tips to keep you safe and content this year. It's better to be nice than naughty:

Holiday Shopping:

Black Friday aside, holiday shopping can be a dangerous venture in general. To make sure your outdoor shopping experience is a pleasant one, follow these tips:

If you are the owner of a canine, the recent dog attacks on victims in Surprise and Tucson raise the need for awareness about Arizona and Phoenix dog bite laws. Although you may think your beloved pet wouldn’t hurt a fly, he or she comes with responsibilities that could lead to civil liabilities or criminal punishments if not followed.

A Tucson dog owner was issued a criminal citation last Friday after his two pit bulls attacked and injured an 86-year-old man, the Associated Press reported. He was cited for 14 misdemeanor violations of city code including having a vicious or destructive animal, having a dog at large and having an animal that wasn’t vaccinated, licensed or wearing a tag. The victim is expected to recover from his injuries, but the two pit bulls were shot dead.

The two Malboeuf cousins have been formally charged with five offenses by a federal court on Monday for their part in starting the Arizona Wallow Fire, reports the Associated Press.

Caleb Joshua Malboeuf of Benson and David Wayne Malboeuf of Tucson are officially banned from national forest land and will go to trial on federal misdemeanor charges since the crimes occurred in a National State Park.

Rapper DMX may know how "rough riders roll," but it won't win him any points with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, especially since he's already on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's bad side.

DMX was arrested on Wednesday night for driving 102 mph in a 65 zone, which is considered criminal speeding, on a suspended license, reports the Associated Press. His arrest occurred just one month after he was released from an Arizona jail.

The rough-riding, multi-platinum rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was pulled over on U.S. 60 by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers. He was placed into custody for criminal speeding, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license. Simmons was released on bond Thursday morning.

Two cousins have been indicted on federal charges for starting the massive Arizona Wallow Fire, the largest wildfire in state history, reports The Arizona Republic.

Caleb Joshua Malboeuf and David Wayne Malboeuf are accused of building a campfire in the Apache National Forest near the Bear Wallow Trailhead and leaving it unattended. The abandoned campfire, which was located two miles from where the fire began, reportedly sparked the Wallow Fire inferno.

The May 29th fire ended up blazing a path of destruction through more than 538,000 acres in northeastern Arizona and New Mexico, according to authorities.

From cyber bullies to online predators, the Internet has increasingly been maligned as a gateway to trouble for children’s safety. The Phoenix Police Department, however, has been using it as a tool to increase student safety through its innovative website Alert Recall, reports ABC 15 News.

The website, which allows students to confidentially report crimes through email or text, is the brain child of Phoenix Police Department School Resource Officer, Cecil Jackson. School Resource Officers are full-time police officers who are assigned to specific school campuses in order to investigate reports of child abuse and enforce truancy laws.

The sale of fireworks had been illegal in the state of Arizona for 50 years up until December 1, 2010. Thanks to a push from lobbyists in the fireworks industry, a law passed in the legislature last year that legalized the sale of certain types of fireworks that include handheld sparklers, cone fountains and ground spinners.

Yet even though the sale of certain fireworks is now legal, The Arizona Republic reports that most municipalities in the state of Arizona restrict the use of fireworks due to public-safety threats and fire dangers that are posed by fireworks. We can expect many 4th of July celebrations this weekend in the Valley and many good times. Just be sure to be familiar with Arizona fireworks laws if you want to avoid a criminal citation.

It's been 20 days since the Wallow Fire ignited and started burning through the state of Arizona. As of Thursday afternoon, Reuters reported that the fire had already roared through 760 square miles in the eastern region of the state and only had about 30 percent containment. With more than 4,600 firefighters working to battle this blaze, there's a good reason why state officials are calling this the largest wildfire in Arizona history.

Yet perhaps the Wallow Fire shouldn't be considered a "wildfire." Authorities now suspect that the fire started when two campers left their campfire burning on May 29, reports Phoenix New Times. So far, the federal investigators have not released the names of their "two persons of interest" nor have they made any arrests.