THE VOICE OF THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1891 AND WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING
Falcon Field expansion taking shape PAGE
Teen suicide rates continue to rise
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Southeast Edition
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Sunday, January 19, 2020
INSIDE
This Week
COMMUNITY ........12 Collector scours EV for war memorabilia.
BY CECILIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer
O
livia Holcomb was 9 when her parents divorced and her life turned topsy-turvy. The Texas girl lived with her mom, who began bringing men home. Holcomb said growing up associating having a man around equated to happiness as she watched her mom swing from being happy to being upset, depending on if she had a man or not. “In the summer of 2018, my mom and I lived with her boyfriend at the time,” she said. “He was abusive and very mean to her.” Both adults drank and Holcomb said she was miserable when the boyfriend would start hurting her mom. “I refused to stay there,” she said. “I ran
S BUSINESS ................. 15 Mesa taco shop finds a guardian angel.
away.” At 16 and with no money, Holcomb started meeting significantly older men through a dating app. She learned giving sexual favors would earn her food, drugs and a place to sleep. She said she met about two dozen men who paid her for sex until police arrested her after her mom reported her as a runaway. Police went through Holcomb’s cellphone and discovered she was a victim of se traffic ing. Holcomb, who now lives in Chandler, shared her story in a video Jan. 12, at the second annual Night of Hope event, hosted by 19 East Valley churches to bring awareness to se traffic ing and encourage the public to get involved. The event, attended by over 300 people at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, also highlighted National uman Traffic ing wareness Month.
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“This is a problem it does not know borders, said ilbert olice hief Michael oelberg, who was at the event representing law enforcement. “It’s international; it’s throughout the country; it’s throughout the state and it’s throughout our local community.” oelberg said Mesa olice epartment led the charge against se traffic ing in the last five to seven years and he got involved with the issue while working there. Soleberg became Gilbert’s chief in 2017. Law enforcement agencies in Scottsdale, Mesa, handler, ilbert and Tempe in conjunction with the Maricopa ounty and riona attorney general s offices conduct at least one operation a month in the East Valley
see SEX TRAFFICKING page
BY JORDAN HOUSTON Tribune Staff Writer
SPORTS .................... 25
Skyline High is riding high on the court. COMMUNITY ............... 12 BUSINESS .......................15 OPINION ....................... 18 SPORTS ........................ 20 GETOUT.........................22 CLASSIFIED....................25
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Mesa woman is suing a care-giving company after a former employee allegedly murdered her special-needs son. Rachel Perez’s suit accuses Community Provider Enrichment Services of turning a blind eye to the abuse her son, Joseph Trevizo, experienced at the hands of its employees eventually leading to his death. Trevizo was working weekly at the organization’s Tempe thrift store to develop life skills. The 30-year-old was “high-functioning,” but had the mind of a 15-yearold boy, his mother said. n May 18, he was stabbed times by his program supervisor esse a ins for flirting with his fianc e, court records stated. a ins faces trial on first-degree murder and other charges in 10 days.
see MURDER page 8
These Mesa girls are getting some relaxation now before they start the six-week Girl Scout Cookies sals campaign that launches tomorrow, Jan. 20. Girl Scouts, from left, Serenity Edwards, Aly Nimannstack, Lilee Johnson, Aubrey Nimannstack and London Collins don’t have a troop, as explained in the story on page 12. (Chris Mortenson/Tribune Staff Photographer)