TL/DR –
Charles Ryan, the former head of Arizona’s prison system, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation for an incident in which he pointed a gun at officers during a standoff at his home in 2022. Police reported that Ryan, who had consumed half a bottle of tequila, was armed and possibly wounded, and engaged in a standoff before surrendering and having 15 guns seized from his home. Ryan, who could have served up to two years in prison, pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct as part of a plea deal and was ordered to not consume alcohol, complete substance abuse treatment, and surrender his guns.
Former Arizona Prison Head Receives Probation in Standoff Case
Charles Ryan, the previous leader of Arizona’s prison system, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation last Friday. Ryan’s sentence relates to a standoff incident with the police at his Tempe home in 2022.
According to police reports, authorities arrived at Ryan’s home on January 6, 2022, following claims that he was armed and might have injured himself. Reports highlight that Ryan had consumed significant amounts of alcohol and was antagonistic towards police.
During the standoff, Ryan allegedly pointed a firearm at two officers before retreating back into his home. He surrendered shortly after this incident, with authorities confiscating 15 guns from his property.
Ryan was charged with the unlawful discharge of a firearm and disorderly conduct. However, a week before his trial last November, he pleaded no contest to a single count of disorderly conduct as part of a plea deal.
In court, Ryan’s defense attorney cited an “alcohol blackout” as the cause for his client’s behavior, stating that Ryan had since taken steps to prevent a recurrence. Ryan also issued an apology to his family, friends, and the Tempe Police Department.
The court’s ruling could have imposed up to two years in prison. However, the final verdict involved supervised probation, mandatory substance abuse treatment, and a requirement for Ryan to surrender all his firearms.
Before this incident, Ryan resigned as the director of the Arizona Department of Corrections in 2019, after a decade-long tenure.
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