Carlos Maximilliano Galvan, a resident of Maricopa, Arizona, has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Tohono O’odham Police Officer Bryan Brown. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge James A. Soto on June 4, 2025.
The incident occurred on August 27, 2020, when Officer Brown responded to a call at the Desert Diamond Casino in Why, Arizona. Galvan had crashed his vehicle into a handicapped parking sign and assaulted two casino employees by striking their truck with his vehicle. Upon arrival, Officer Brown was confronted by Galvan who approached him with a broken bottle. In an attempt to evade Galvan, Officer Brown moved around his police cruiser. However, Galvan seized the opportunity to enter the cruiser and drove it towards Officer Brown and a United States Border Patrol Agent who had arrived to assist. While the agent managed to move out of harm’s way, Officer Brown was struck and killed.
Galvan then fled the scene in the police cruiser and intentionally collided with vehicles of two additional Border Patrol Agents en route to assist.
FBI Phoenix Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarod Brown stated: “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.” He expressed hope that this sentence would bring some comfort to Officer Brown’s family and colleagues.
United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine remarked: “The defendant attacked not just Officer Brown, but our entire system of justice.” He emphasized that assaults on law enforcement officers cannot be tolerated due to their potential deadly consequences.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Kreamer Hope, Alicia Renee Quezada, and Rui Wang from the District of Arizona in Tucson.
