Judge Refers Sheriff Joe Arpaio For Criminal Contempt Of Court Charges

One of the country’s most controversial sheriffs may face the other side of the law after a federal judge recommended he face criminal charges. If prosecutors decide to pass, the judge could choose a special prosecutor to take it on. The Department of Justice later found that Arpaio “oversaw the worst pattern of racial profiling by a law enforcement agency in US history”, and the lawsuit against him has now cost taxpayers more than $50 million to defend.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow said in mid-May that the investigations had been manipulated to shield sheriff’s officials from accountability.

A federal judge says Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, should be charged for criminal contempt of court.

The judge also found there was probable cause to believe Arpaio’s deputy, Jerry Sheridan, and others violated orders in concealing almost 1,500 IDs in an internal investigation into whether officers pocketed items from people during traffic stops.

The sheriff’s lawyer Mel McDonald said he was disappointed by the referral, but would fight it.

Arpaio’s worst legal defeat was the racial profiling case, which morphed into a contempt-of-court proceeding in late 2014 after Arpaio was accused of violating court orders by continuing immigration traffic stops after they were banned and withholding police video evidence from his 2012 profiling trial.

The case would be prosecuted either by the United States attorney’s office or an attorney appointed by the court.

Continued failure to follow the directions of the court, along with false statements and attempts to obstruct further inquiry, justified the filing of criminal contempt charges now, Snow wrote Friday.

He also cited Arpaio for failing to disclose documents and preserve records in the case, as ordered.

Snow will continue to preside over the profiling case as he presses the sheriff’s office to make policy changes to prevent future racial profiling. But Snow denied a request from Arpaio’s foes to require the sheriff to pull $300,000 out of his own pocket to help fund the system.

Three years ago, the sheriff’s office was found to have racially profiled Latinos in regular traffic and immigration patrols. Penzone has raised $160,000.

“I am through putting up with that kind of stuff, and they’re going to be as responsible for what they do here as any other citizen of Maricopa County”, Smith said. “And every last day goes to undermine our ability to meet the expectations of not only the federal court but also this community at large”.