Man pleads guilty in stalking case involving Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Apr 29, 2016, 6:03 PM | Updated: 9:48 pm
(AP Images)
PHOENIX — A man who once claimed to be “Jesus Christ” has plead guilty on Thursday to charges related to the attempted stalking of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Ruben Pena Jr., 43, plead guilty to one count of attempted stalking and one count of a hoax, according to Maricopa County Superior Court officials.
His sentencing is scheduled for June 2.
Pena was arrested on two felony charges back in December 2015 after Maricopa County Sheriff’s investigators found he had repeatedly visited Arpaio’s office in downtown Phoenix and made threatening statements.
In early December, Pena, claiming to be “Jesus Christ,” visited the Sheriff’s office to resolve an identification issue.
He became angry when the matter was not completed and left Arpaio a letter which in part read, “Joe!!! Your (expletive) is mine Sincerely Your creator & Destroyer.”
Shortly after that incident, Sheriff’s deputies found two letters written by Pena left on the Sheriff’s property. The letters made references to Pena’s identity as “Jesus Christ” and named the downtown Phoenix Renaissance Hotel as a “bag location.”
The letter prompted a bomb sweep of the hotel, but no suspicious packages were found.
That was not the first time the sheriff had been threatened: Gregory Lynn Schrader was arrested in 2013 for mailing an explosive device to Arpaio’s office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.