Phoenix fugitive missing for 4 years found hiding in Mexico, officials say

PHOENIX — A man arrested by Phoenix police in 2018 for exploitation charges has been extradited back to Maricopa County after he was allegedly found hiding in Mexico.

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Fugitivo que se escondía en México es extraditado a Phoenix

Glenn Bales, 51, was charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor following his arrest in November 2018. As the criminal case was pending in court, Bales disappeared after he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and left Phoenix.

Officials said investigators received information last month that Bales was living and working as a medical provider in Mexico under a new name. He was taken into custody and brought back to Arizona. 

Police said Bales is being held in jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.

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“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest. 

The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:

• Mesa
• Chandler
• Scottsdale
• Tempe
• Glendale
• Surprise
• Peoria
• Gilbert
• El Mirage
• Avondale
• Litchfield Park
• Goodyear
• Buckeye

Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.

The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.

How big is Maricopa County?

Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.

The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).

One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.

The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.

The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.