Jennifer Jones arrested in Quartzsite Post Office!

The Desert Freedom Press Publisher Jennifer Jones was arrested Friday afternoon in the Quartzsite Post Office by Sergeant Xavier Frausto and Police Chief Jeff Gilbert. Jones states that she repeatedly asked them what the charge was, but they refused to tell her.  Later, she finally learned that she had been charged with felony witness tampering, over an unsubstantiated allegation made by a woman named Denise Florian.

Florian, who admits to having a drug and alchohol problem moved to Quartzsite over the summer and was almost immediately appointed to the town personnel board to oversee the appeal hearings of the Quartzsite police officers wrongfully terminated over the summer. She was subsequently appointed to the town Health and Development Board which then made recommendations to the council about how much money to give the Senior Center, Museum, and Chamber of Commerce.

According to Jones, Florian had assaulted her in a severly drunken state a few weeks earlier at a local restaurant. For obvious reasons, the Jones did not call the police as Jennifer was not injured and the police have not protected them in the past.

In a video conferenced appearance, Judge Karen Slaughter set Jones ' bail at $10,000 Because she had a statement from Florian claiming to be in fear for her life. Jones states that she reminded Judge Slaughter that bail was only to assure your appearance and that tha Constitution prohibited excessive bail, but Slaughter told her that if she didn't like it, she could wait in jail until they found her another judge. Slaughter made headlines for another controversial ruling this summer when she ordered Republican Precinct Committeman Michael Roth's guns taken away for calling Councilman "Machine Gun Joe" Winslow a "turd".

Jones made bail Saturday evening and states that an official press release would be forthcoming. Just remember, you heard it here first!