Maricopa Man Sentenced to 44 Years in Prison for Second-Degree Murder of a Tohono O’Odham Police Officer

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Carlos Maximilliano Galvan, 44, of Maricopa, Arizona, was sentenced on June 4, 2025, by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 44 years in prison. Galvan previously pleaded guilty to one count of Second-Degree Murder.

On August 27, 2020, Tohono O’odham Police Officer Bryan Brown responded to a 911 call from the Desert Diamond Casino in Why, Arizona, about an individual who had crashed his vehicle into a handicapped parking sign outside of the casino. The individual then reportedly assaulted two casino employees by striking the truck they were sitting in with his vehicle. When Officer Brown arrived at the scene, he got out of his police cruiser and was confronted by Galvan, who approached him aggressively while brandishing a broken bottle. As Officer Brown stepped around his vehicle to avoid Galvan, Galvan jumped into the police cruiser and drove toward Officer Brown and a United States Border Patrol Agent who had arrived at the scene to assist. The Border Patrol Agent was able to move out of the way, but Galvan struck Officer Brown with the police cruiser, killing him.

While fleeing from the scene of the murder, Galvan drove the police cruiser across the center lane of the highway and intentionally hit the vehicles of two Border Patrol Agents who were on their way to the scene to assist law enforcement.  

“The FBI will not waiver in our commitment to ensure those who commit acts of violence against members of law enforcement will be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said FBI Phoenix Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarod Brown. “Today is for Officer Bryan Brown, and his loved ones and colleagues. We hope this sentence brings a degree of comfort to Officer Brown’s family and colleagues.”

“The defendant attacked not just Officer Brown, but our entire system of justice,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Disrespect for law enforcement escalates, as it did here with a deadly consequence, which is why any assault on a law enforcement officer cannot be tolerated. Our great sorrow goes out to Officer Brown’s family, loved ones, and fellow officers. He demonstrated the ultimate dedication to duty, and we honor him.”   

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Kreamer Hope, Alicia Renee Quezada, and Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-20-01566-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-091_Galvan

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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