A Tucson man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his involvement in a shootout at a Circle K in Sierra Vista last year which left bullet holes in several vehicles and residents of two apartments grateful to be uninjured.
Edwardo Antonio Roman Jr. was transported to the Arizona Department of Corrections earlier this month from the Cochise County jail to begin his term after pleading guilty to a Class 3 felony of discharging a firearm on Oct. 3, 2021 at a non-residential structure (the Circle K). The sentence was part of a negotiated plea agreement.
Roman, 24, had been indicted for 10 felonies, including drive-by shooting, aggravated assault, and endangerment after several bullets were fired from inside a Hyundai in the direction of a group of motorcycles parked at the Circle K. At least one of the motorcyclists also fired at the Hyundai which Roman was driving.
The other nine counts against Roman were dismissed at the Aug. 15 sentencing per the plea deal, under which he was sentenced as a Category 2 repetitive offender.
Public records show Roman’s expected release date is in April 2027. He is currently housed at a state prison complex in Navajo County, where he is classified as a Close / High inmate.
According to ADC, each inmate is classified at one of five custody levels: minimum, low, medium, high, and maximum. The custody level is based on an inmate’s likelihood of escape or committing violence, and is used to assign inmates to facilities, as each ADC prison complex houses only certain custody levels.
An inmate like Roman with a High Custody level represents a high risk “to the public and staff” and requires controlled movement within the institution.
Inmates are also assessed an Internal Risk Level which governs their program options, work assignments, and housing decisions. There are five IRL’s, with Close indicating the second highest risk based not only on danger to public and staff but also the danger they pose to other inmates.
MORE ABOUT THE SHOOTOUT:
Details Made Available Of Shoot-out At Sierra Vista Circle K
Security cameras inside and outside the Circle K recorded most of the shooting which started after a Hyundai pulled into the Circle K parking lot on North Garden. Two Hispanic males, including Roman, exited the vehicle after which Roman walked to the side of the building where he urinated near a group of motorcyclists.
A fight between one of the riders and Roman ensued before he and the Hyundai passenger ran back to the car and drove away. Bullets then fly in both directions – two occupied apartments across the street from the Circle K were hit by .45 caliber rounds, while several vehicles on both sides of the scene were struck, some by .40 caliber ammunition.
A shot-up Hyundai was found at the Sierra Vista home where Roman’s cousin lived. A .40 caliber handgun was located during the search for the vehicle.
Deputy County Attorney Raymond Haight told Arizona Daily Independent that the Hyundai passenger was eventually identified by law enforcement and determined to have been uninvolved in the shooting.
Detectives later identified Jared Clark Brown, a confirmed member of the Nomaden Motorcycle Club, as the other shooter. A .45 caliber handgun was recovered during execution of a search warrant at Brown’s Sierra Vista home.
Brown is charged with 10 felonies, including seven counts directly related to the October 2021 shooting. The other three felonies involve drugs found during a search of Brown’s home as part of the shooting investigation.
Court records show Brown has been out of custody awaiting trial since posting bail shortly after his arrest. Judge Laura Cardinal ruled earlier this year that Brown will stand trial first for the seven counts related to the shooting.
He is expected back to Cochise County Superior Court next month for a status conference in advance of his first jury trial. A trial for the three drug charges will be conducted later.
