Man claiming to be ‘Jesus Christ’ arrested for stalking Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio

PHOENIX — A man who claimed to be “Jesus Christ” and was accused of stalking Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was arrested on two separate felony charges, according to the Sheriff’s office.

Ruben Pena was arrested on Monday on one felony stalking charge and one felony hoax charge. Pena was under investigation by Sheriff’s deputies for repeatedly visiting the Sheriff’s office in downtown Phoenix beginning in early December.

Ruben Pena’s mugshot. (Photo: MCSO)

On Dec. 8, Pena, claiming to be “Jesus Christ,” visited the Sheriff’s office to resolve an identification issue. According to a recent press release, the matter was not completed and Pena left Arpaio a letter which in part read, “Joe!!! Your (explicitive) is mine Sincerely Your creator & Destroyer.”

Investigators with the Sheriff’s office determined Pena had made several other threatening comments toward Arpaio while inside the downtown Phoenix office.

During the week of Dec. 14, 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.”

This prompted a bomb sweep of the hotel on Tuesday, but no suspicious packages were found.

Pena made several other threatening comments toward Arpaio on Monday, stating he was “gonna kill (Arpaio) alright” and “(Arpaio)  is occupying my position.  I have all that he needs. I am his creator and destroyer.”

Pena is currently being held in 4th Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix.

“Here is another man who is making threats against Sheriff Arpaio and others, yet walking around the streets of Phoenix,” Deputy Joaquin Enriquez said in the press release.

Arpaio’s previous threats include ones made by Gregory Lynn Schrader, who mailed an explosive device to the Sheriff in 2013.

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