A Class 5 Felony Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer at Maricopa County Superior Court carried a presumptive 1.5-year prison term and a permanent C5 felony record with a peace-officer-victim flag. Future First reduced the case to an undesignated F6 Resisting Arrest with Veterans Court probation and no prison.
At a glance
| Court | Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Original charge | Aggravated Assault on Peace Officer (ARS § 13-1204(A)(8)(a)), Class 5 Felony |
| Presumptive exposure | Presumptive 1.5-year prison term under ARS § 13-702 with a range from 9 months to 2 years for first-time felony offenders, a permanent C5 felony record with a peace-officer-victim flag, mandatory minimum probation conditions, loss of civil rights including voting and firearm ownership, federal firearm prohibition for life, and a permanent felony bar that surfaces on every employment, housing, professional licensing, and immigration screen |
| Result | State amended charge from F5 Aggravated Assault on Peace Officer to undesignated Class 6 Felony Resisting Arrest by Physical Force (ARS § 13-2508(A)(1)); 18 months supervised probation in Veterans Court; $120 in assessments plus a monthly probation service fee; no prison |
| Eligibility for designation to misdemeanor | Approximately 2026 under ARS § 13-604, after 50 percent of probation completion |
| Eligibility for set aside | 2026 after probation completion under ARS § 13-905 |
| Eligibility for sealing | Approximately 2029 under ARS § 13-911, three years after sentence completion if designated to misdemeanor |
The stakes
The client faced a Class 5 Felony Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer charge under ARS § 13-1204(A)(8)(a) in Maricopa County Superior Court. A C5 felony conviction would have meant a presumptive 1.5-year prison term under ARS § 13-702 with a range from 9 months to 2 years for a first-time felony offender, a permanent C5 felony record with a peace-officer-victim flag visible on every law enforcement and security background check, loss of civil rights including voting and firearm ownership, federal firearm prohibition for life, and a permanent felony bar that surfaces on every employment, housing, professional licensing, and immigration screen.
What we did
Future First negotiated the case down one felony class from a Class 5 Felony Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer to an undesignated Class 6 Felony Resisting Arrest by Physical Force under ARS § 13-2508(A)(1), with the felony left open for later designation as a misdemeanor under ARS § 13-604. The client received 18 months supervised probation in Veterans Court, paid $120 in assessments plus a monthly probation service fee, and avoided prison entirely. Designate to Misdemeanor under ARS § 13-604 eligible approximately 2026. Set aside under ARS § 13-905 available 2026. Arrest record sealing under ARS § 13-911 eligible approximately 2029.
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If you’re facing F5 Aggravated Assault on Peace Officer in Arizona
The peace-officer-victim aggravator under ARS § 13-1204(A)(8)(a) elevates a base assault to a Class 5 Felony when the assault involves a peace officer in the performance of official duties. The conviction creates a unique long-tail burden because it surfaces on every law enforcement and security background check for life, beyond the standard felony consequences.
Substituting Resisting Arrest by Physical Force under ARS § 13-2508(A)(1) for the lead Aggravated Assault charge reframes the offense category from “violent assault on officer” to “resistance to lawful arrest.” The substitution keeps the underlying conduct framing in the law-enforcement context but drops the felony class from 5 to 6 and removes the peace-officer-victim flag from the conviction record.
Veterans Court is a specialized treatment-track docket at Maricopa County Superior Court for defendants with military service. The treatment-track structure replaces standard probation supervision with targeted services addressing service-connected mental health, substance abuse, or other underlying issues. Eligibility requires military service plus a qualifying offense and a treatment-amenability finding. The Veterans Court track typically produces better long-term outcomes than standard probation for defendants who qualify.
Future First Criminal Law has handled peace-officer-victim Aggravated Assault cases across Maricopa County and Arizona, including cases routed through Veterans Court. We know how Maricopa County Superior Court evaluates Resisting Arrest substitutions and Veterans Court eligibility.
Related resources
- Arizona criminal defense — felony defense strategy and process
- Set aside and sealing in Arizona — how to clean up your record after a felony
Call us
Facing felony Aggravated Assault in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-932-7890 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona felony cases. The earlier we are involved, the more options you have.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona criminal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.