SHOW LOW — Joseph Riccardi, accused of multiple felony crimes involving a minor, is now in custody at the Navajo County Jail, following a series of missed court appearances and an active arrest warrant.
Joseph Riccardi, 68, of Heber-Overgaard, is charged in multiple Navajo County Superior Court cases. with offenses that include sexual conduct with a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, possession of drug paraphernalia, and first-degree failure to appear, a Class 5 felony.
The cases are pending before Judge Jon H. Saline in Division III of Navajo County Superior Court.
Riccardi, who finally appeared at the Jan. 7 court hearing, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. During the court hearing, defense counsel waived a formal reading of the charges, and the court entered a not-guilty plea.
As previously reported by Mountain Daily Star, the charges stem from allegations involving a 16-year-old employee at Riccardi’s Heber-Overgaard restaurant, New York Eats and Treats. According to police reports, the teen described multiple inappropriate and sexual encounters with Riccardi. Investigators stated in police reports that they later obtained evidence from the victim’s phone.
Riccardi was initially arrested in August 2025 after deputies responded to a suicide-threat incident at the restaurant during the investigation. He did not appear for his court date because the defence stated he was seeking a mental-health evaluation. He was later released from mental health services while the criminal cases proceeded, and he was then charged with a failure to appear.
Court records show Riccardi failed to appear at at least two scheduled pretrial conferences after being released. An arrest warrant was issued shortly thereafter, and prosecutors later added the felony failure-to-appear charge. The State has noted in court filings that Riccardi failed to appear more than once, arguing the pattern demonstrated a risk of noncompliance with court orders.
In a court filing, prosecutors objected to aligning court dates for Riccardi’s convenience, noting that he has failed to appear in court on two occasions and that an arrest warrant was active at the time of the request. The State argued that, despite the missed appearances, the defense was asking the court to adjust its hearing schedule to accommodate Riccardi, a request prosecutors said should be denied. The filing states that Riccardi, who is charged with serious sex crimes involving a minor and failed to appear while on release, should immediately surrender himself into custody.
The arrest warrant remained active until Jan. 7, when the court formally quashed it after Riccardi finally appeared on Jan.7.
Jail records now confirm Riccardi has since been booked into the Navajo County Jail, where he remains in custody as of today.
Prosecutors with the Navajo County Attorney’s Office filed a motion seeking to hold Riccardi without bond, citing the seriousness of the charges, the alleged risk to the community, and Riccardi’s prior failures to appear.
Defense counsel opposed the request, arguing that Riccardi’s medical and psychiatric condition should be considered in determining release. During recent hearings, the State submitted Exhibit S1, identified as a psychiatric progress note. The exhibit was admitted without objection. Defense counsel then moved to seal the document, citing confidential medical information. The court heard arguments from both sides and made findings on the record regarding the sealing request.
A corrected minute entry later clarified that the psychiatric exhibit had been admitted and corrected earlier clerical errors regarding scheduling and division assignment.
While Riccardi is currently being held at the Navajo County Jail, court records reflect a final order holding him without bond. Minute entries show that arguments regarding release and custody were presented, but no formal ruling denying bond has been entered into the public docket as of the most recent filings. Under Arizona law, a defendant may be detained while the court considers bond and release conditions, even if a motion to hold without bond is still pending.
Court minutes indicate the victim’s parents were present during at least one recent status conference. The court also noted concerns regarding victim notification as the case moves forward.
An initial pretrial conference is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., in Division III of Navajo County Superior Court.
Riccardi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
