SAFFORD — A woman’s interactions with the area’s legal community combined with a slew of criminal charges have resulted in Graham County reaching out to a Tucson law firm for help.
Graham County Superior Court has retained the services of Stephen Robertson with Katsarelis Law firm of Tucson to serve as indigent defense counsel for Katherine Marie Payne, also known as Katherine Marie Contreras.
“There is a victim in the matter, (and) there’s also a co-defendant. So between the victim and the co-defendant and the defendant, all of our local attorneys have a conflict,” said Court Administrator Mindy Young.
Payne, 42, was charged March 27 with burglary, trafficking in stolen property, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, possession and use of narcotic drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She and her co-defendant, Michael Norgord, 46, were arrested in February following the burglary of a house in Pima.
Payne was also convicted in 2021 of DUI with a driver’s license restriction, and the County Attorney’s Office is seeking to revoke her probation in that matter, creating a second conflicted case. Cost to retain Robertson as Payne’s counsel in the two cases was not disclosed when the Board of Supervisors approved the contract.
