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A transfer to oust Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos failed throughout a Board of Supervisors assembly on Tuesday night time, although the board voted to refer perjury allegations to the state legal professional normal’s workplace as Nanos’ previous file and dealing with of the Nancy Guthrie case have been closely scrutinized.
Republican Steve Christy moved to have the board declare the sheriff’s workplace vacant and start the method to interchange him instantly. Nobody seconded the movement, although, and the bid to oust him failed.
Democrat Rex Scott then made a movement to refer allegations of perjury towards Nanos to the state AG’s workplace, which the board accredited by a vote of 4-0, with Christy abstaining.
“My chief concern with what’s been happening throughout the sheriff’s division is that our elected sheriff has taken no discernible efforts to restore relationships and belief inside our largest division,” Scott mentioned after that vote. “Probably the most telling instance of that was the unanimous vote of the Pima County Deputy’s Group declaring no confidence in his management.”
The board’s actions capped a high-stakes showdown over allegations that the person main the Guthrie kidnapping investigation lied below oath about his previous police file.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos leaves a fitness center in Tucson, Ariz., on Might 9, 2026. (Matthew Symons for Fox Information Digital)
The developments adopted weeks of mounting stress from throughout the county’s personal management, with two supervisors, Christy and Democrat Matt Heinz, pushing to take away the elected sheriff or take formal motion towards him.
“That is accountability for a man who has evaded accountability for many years,” Heinz instructed Fox Information Digital final week, calling Nanos a “public security menace.”
On the middle of the controversy are claims Nanos misled officers about his disciplinary historical past as a Texas police officer within the Seventies and Eighties.
The allegations stem from a deposition in a lawsuit, the place Nanos mentioned below oath that he had by no means been suspended as a legislation enforcement officer.
Information from El Paso, first obtained by the Arizona Republic and later posted publicly by the county, present he was suspended a number of instances and resigned in lieu of termination.
Christy mentioned the sheriff had already missed a deadline to reply questions below oath from the board — escalating the scenario.
SHERIFF LEADING NANCY GUTHRIE PROBE ADMITS QUITTING PAST POLICE JOB TO DODGE DISCIPLINE
“He’s already failed that request… so we’re into the subsequent section,” Christy mentioned, signaling a possible transfer to vacate the workplace.
LEAD NANCY GUTHRIE COP HAD NO HOMICIDE EXPERIENCE, SHERIFF BENCHED TOP DETECTIVES: SOURCES
As a result of the sheriff is an elected official, eradicating him is legally difficult, although supervisors have pointed to a not often used Arizona legislation courting again to the 1800s as a doable path ahead.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media in Catalina, Ariz., on Feb. 3 whereas answering questions concerning the seek for Nancy Guthrie. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Pictures)
Even with out removing, Heinz mentioned the board might nonetheless take different actions, together with passing a decision expressing a insecurity or referring the allegations for prison investigation by the state legal professional normal.
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He additionally famous {that a} conviction on perjury fees would in the end power the sheriff from workplace.
Including to the strain, each side have retained outdoors authorized counsel moderately than counting on the county legal professional’s workplace, a transfer Christy mentioned is costing taxpayers extra cash.
SHERIFF UNDER FIRE AMID NANCY GUTHRIE CASE ALLEGEDLY BROUGHT LOADED FIREARM TO AIRPORT CHECKPOINT
A Pima County sheriff’s official stands outdoors Nancy Guthrie’s residence in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 14, 2026. (Ty O’Neil/AP)
In a written response to the board, Nanos pushed again on the claims, arguing the controversy stems from a misunderstanding, not perjury.
His legal professional says the sheriff’s testimony referred solely to his Arizona profession, noting he was by no means suspended throughout his many years with the Pima County Sheriff’s Division, although he confronted self-discipline earlier in Texas.
The memo additionally confirms Nanos resigned from the El Paso Police Division in 1982 moderately than settle for a proposed suspension following a dispute with a supervisor.
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Heinz has disputed that characterization, arguing the file reveals Nanos resigned in lieu of termination, not self-discipline.
The sheriff declined to reply questions in particular person below oath, as a substitute submitting a notarized assertion to the board after the deadline, which Heinz mentioned should still be accepted however doesn’t resolve the underlying considerations.
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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos exits the press room after giving an replace on the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84, in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 5, 2026. (REUTERS/Rebecca Noble)
The investigation into Guthrie’s Feb. 1 disappearance has now stretched previous 100 days with few public breakthroughs.
The case, involving the 84-year-old mom of “As we speak” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has drawn nationwide consideration and sparked rigidity between Nanos and the FBI, together with a public conflict with Director Kash Patel over whether or not federal brokers had been initially sidelined.
Heinz has additionally known as on the sheriff to hand over the investigation to federal authorities.
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“It’s ridiculous,” he mentioned. “Virtually each different jurisdiction would have accomplished so by now.”
Greater than $1.2 million in reward cash is now being supplied for data that results in solutions, as her household continues to plead for assist.
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