A Maricopa resident pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in Superior

Court Friday afternoon.

Rosa Galindo, 66, attended a pre-trial hearing this afternoon regarding the case against her.

Six months ago, Galindo was arrested for allegedly assaulting a minor in an attempt to retrieve
her granddaughter’s possessions from a neighborhood teenage girl.

Galindo said during the hearing, “I went to [the girl], and I told her to give back my
granddaughter’s phone.”

With Galindo was an acquaintance of hers who was carrying with him a weapon.

Judge David Palmer, presiding over the hearing, explained to Galindo why she was being
charged with assualt with a weapon despite the fact that it was her “accomplice” who carried it.

“Regardless of whether or not you held a weapon yourself, a weapon was present during the
assualt,” he said.

The purpose of the hearing, held in Maricopa County’s Superior Court, was for the State of
Arizona to present a reformed plea deal to the defendant, Galindo.

The previous deal had been reworked because of the age of Galindo as well as other mitigating
factors that went unmentioned.

This new plea, presented by the prosecuting attorney, required Galindo to agree to a “Guilty”
plea in exchange for a maximum of 3 and a half years in prison.

According to the prosecuting attorney, if the case should go to trial, Galindo would be facing
“seven to 21 years for aggravated assault, in addition to the remaining charges.”

The assault with a weapon charge, if found guilty at trial, would result in an additional 30 plus
years added to her sentence.

After being presented with the potential outcomes of going to trial, the court recessed for a brief
period so that Galindo might go over her options with her attorney.

When the hearing resumed, Galindo announced that she would be taking the plea deal.

Judge Palmer assured that she could “read and speak English fluently.” Then he proceeded to
recap the terms of the agreement.
Under this deal, Galindo will admit to “assaulting a minor” with a weapon and will be sentenced
to two years to no more than 3 and a half years in prison, resulting in a parole period upon
release.

Judge Palmer also detailed that good behavior while incarcerated could result in a reduced
sentence.

Galindo, for her part, said that she, “didn’t handle the situation as well as [she] could have.”

Her remorse displayed during the hearing appeared genuine, as evidenced by Judge Palmer
expressing how the State was attempting to help her by offering such a generous deal.

The court adjourned to make room for the next case, and she was escorted way to await the
final sentencing that would determine exactly how long she would be in prison.

In the end, Galindo avoided a trial that, based on the testimony provided in the hearing, did not
seem likely to render a favorable verdict.