That could open the door for Arpaio, who bills himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” and is running for re-election next year, and the others to face criminal charges. This week’s resumption of hearings, which began in April, could add to those bills.
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Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s second-in-command testified about the agency’s violation of a court order that demanded the office stop conducting immigration patrols.
A effect of the court fight is a growing cost to taxpayers. During his 2012 election campaign, he spent $8 million and is already reported to have at least $2 million on hand for his upcoming 2016 run.
Tensions escalated in recent months as the sheriff’s office failed to turn over records.
Snow has said he will use the testimony to help decide what to do about non-compliance with his orders in the case, which could include imposing fines, restitution and greater oversight of Arpaio’s operations. He will also learn whether he’ll later be called into criminal court on the same grounds.
The judge has signaled he wants Arpaio’s contempt penalties to include pulling money out of his own pocket to pay a fine.
Besides being the owner of commercial real estate valued at $2 million, Arpaio is reported to earn $100,000 per year as sheriff.
Another possible financial liability looms over the hearings that could cost taxpayers even more money.
The first witness is expected to be Arpaio’s second-in-command, Jerry Sheridan, who has acknowledged violating two of the judge’s orders.
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Lawyers who brought the case against the sheriff said they’re trying to locate the hundreds of Latinos believed harmed by the illegal detentions. When it came out in July that the sheriff’s office had withheld several Montgomery hard drives and other evidence, Snow ordered the U.S. Marshals to go to the sheriff’s office and take the records into the court’s custody.
