Joe Arpaio Makes Moolah Off Botched Sex Crimes Investigations, and More Sex Crimes May Be Outstanding
It's been speculated that the report clears Seagraves of wrongdoing, and blames the bungling on a lack of manpower for the SVU and on fired, former Chief Deputy David Hendershott, who ordered the investigation terminated in 2009 so Seagraves and the guy doing the investigation, Lt. Bruce Tucker, could spend their time on the politically-charged investigation into former County Schools Superintendent Sandra Dowling.
Essentially, the investigation of sex crimes was way low on the totem pole over at the MCSO. The pet projects of the sheriff, like pursuing his political enemies through the so called Maricopa Anti-Corruption Effort, or MACE, and hunting illegal aliens through sweeps and employer raids, took priority.
There was also the MCSO's program of "training" cops in Honduras, which also taxed the SVU unit.
Hell, back in August, I reported on how one MCSO investigator was ordered to do a mortgage fraud investigation instead of work a sex crimes case that is now the subject of a $30 million claim on the county.
And according to one well-placed source, the MCSO recently unearthed a cache of uninvestigated sex crimes dating as far back as 2002.
My source indicates that a couple of bankers boxes, with anywhere from 60 to 90 old, unworked sex crimes cases, have been discovered by the MCSO. About a month or so ago, the MCSO began assigning the cases to detectives, including detectives who lack the proper training to investigate such crimes.
Detectives used to handling fraud and arson cases are now investigating these old sex crimes, I'm told.
One story kicking around the MCSO is that one woman contacted for such an investigation told a detective where to go, as she lost her children to CPS because the MCSO had previously denied the existence to CPS of a sex crimes report filed by the mom.
The possibility of a new round of old sex crimes cases is not surprising, considering the agency involved.
Initially, when I asked the MCSO for all documents regarding these recently discovered cases, they replied that there were no responsive documents matching my request.
Later, I obtained a list of old department report numbers which may be related to this cache of sex crimes. I've asked MCSO for all docs regarding these DRs, and have yet to receive a reply.
(I also asked the MCSO for comment on the cache, and have received no reply.)
In any case, ask yourselves, why wasn't this report released before the November election?
The answer is obvious, and it adds more fuel for the recall of Arpaio being spearheaded by the group Respect Arizona.
Those who want to whine about there just having been an election, should consider these victims left unavenged, and the mockery Arpaio makes of protecting children with stunts such as his faux Columbine, held over the weekend in Fountain Hills, coordinated by overweight B-movie has-been Steven Seagal.
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
