Pima Board of Supervisors frustrated with absent Sheriff Chris Nanos

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "So my question today to my colleagues is how do we wish to proceed?," asked Supervisor Steve Christy as Sheriff Chris Nanos was a no-show at Tuesday's Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The board is seeking to question the sheriff over his handling of a alleged 2022 sexual assault of a deputy by her supervisor.

At a September meeting, Christy introduced a motion for the sheriff to come in front of the board to respond to four possible rule violations the Arizona Attorney General's office found in his handling of the 2022 sexual assault case.

A female deputy was allegedly sexually assaulted by her superior, former Sergeant Ricardo Garcia, at an off-duty party.

Nanos says he fired Garcia as soon as he knew about the alleged assault. Garcia is set to go on trial in December.

But the investigation by the state's Attorney General's office, requested by the Board of Supervisors last September, found while Nanos did nothing illegal, the department may have violated four Pima County Sheriff's Department rules in its handling of the situation.

The possible violations the investigation uncovered include failing to take appropriate action towards a fellow officer in danger, failing to act in an official capacity during an incident even while off-duty, failing to submit the correct reports, and failing to properly review evidence.

In its letter to the Board of Supervisors, the Attorney General's Office said they are willing to review PCSD's internal investigation after it is completed. You can read the full letter detailing the possible rule violations here.

"Failing to provide help to a deputy in danger, that's pretty concerning, failing to act in an official capacity, failing to document staff involvement, failing to properly secure evidence. This is the fricking sheriff. Wow," Supervisor Matt Heinz said during Tuesday's meeting.

Nanos tells KGUN 9 that he is trying to prevent the victim in the case from being re-victimized, which is what he says is what the board is doing.

"If they really wanted to know about this case, the time to invite the sheriff to their board to explain himself would've been before they asked for an investigation," Nanos said.

In emails between Nanos, Chair Adelita Grijalva, and other county officials, Nanos called the timing of the invite "rather suspicious." In the same emails, a spokesman for the sheriff said he "will not politicize any criminal case."

As the board talked through how to proceed in Nanos' absence Tuesday, Chief Civil Deputy County Attorney Sam Brown, who represents both the board and the sheriff's department, cautioned the board against bringing politics into the discussion.

"But there is certainly a possibility that this conversation could go in a place that needs to be stopped," Brown said.

Chair Grijalva, similarly, wants to avoid any accusations that the board is playing politics.

"I also am concerned about any perception that we're using our county meetings to try and influence an election," Grijalva said.

Looking ahead, Supervisor Heinz recommended considering legal avenues. Nanos tells KGUN 9 he is willing to speak to the board, but only in private session after the election.

The board ultimately decided to wait until the next meeting to discuss the matter further, which is scheduled for November 12.

Watch KGUN 9's Andrew Christiansen ask Sheriff Nanos about his response to the investigation: