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Cottonwood man gets 20 years in prison for shooting an officer

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Yavapai County Attorney's Office
Jeffrey John Thomas

A Yavapai County judge sentenced a Cottonwood man to 20 years in prison Thursday for shooting a police officer in 2020.

A jury found 59-year-old Jeffrey John Thomas guilty of multiple charges last year, including Attempted First-Degree Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer.

Officials say police responded to a report that Thomas was waving a “flagpole” and throwing rocks at cars. Officers tried to de-escalate the situation, but Thomas shot one of the officers with a shotgun he disguised as a flagpole with a flag.

The officer was seriously wounded but survived.

Thomas was later taken into custody once SWAT arrived.