Last week KGUN 9 first told you about the whistleblowers whose stories
prompted an FBI investigation into how PCSD uses the money they seized from criminals called RICO funds.
Sheriff Chris Nanos read from a prepared statement and would not take any questions from the media. He said he would conduct a comprehensive review of all procedures. He also said mistakes may have been made and this has been a learning process for him.
"I will be meeting with each and every one of my command staff within the organization and will take the time necessary to explain to them the extent I understand and am able to disclose and how and why certain events came to be. We cannot and will not tarnish this office that's been trusted to me. Nor will I allow without consequence to anyone else to do the same," he said.
This comes just a week after our investigation into the FBI probe. Multiple whistleblowers came forward about problems with senior command, who are the focus of the FBI investigation. The senior command consists of Sheriff Nanos, former Chief of Staff Brad Gagnepain, who recently committed suicide, and Chief Deputy Chris Radtke, who is now indicted for misuse of RICO funds.
Less than an hours after the news conference, the FBI indictment was released. The time spans 5 years from January 6, 2011 to July 11, 2016. Radtke is accused of conspiring with others to commit money laundering. According to the indictment, he donated the RICO funds to the Sheriff's Auxiliary Volunteers of Tucson. Radtke and others made it appear that RICO money was being used by the SAV by using SAV checks and credit card to pay for items totaling $500,000 that were actually purchases for the sheriff's office.
Examples include:
$300 in restaurant bills
Nearly $300 for a Santa Sleigh, which was to be used at the Annual Awards Banquet
More than $600 dollars spent on two model airplanes each
More than $800 dollars in artwork
The indictment refers to others who conspired with Radtke, but no other names are given.
During the news conference, Nanos also blasted Dr. Richard Carmona, who is a primary whistle-blower in the FBI investigation. He called the allegations blatant lies. KGUN has spoken to insiders who have backed up Carmona's claims.
While Nanos did not mention Mark Napier by name at the press conference, he did reference "his opponent."
"I will state it again. Dr. Carmona felt slighted that retired Sheriff Dupnik did not hand the keys of this organization to him, or make him chief deputy through the years," Nanos said. "He harassed and hassled Sheriff Dupnik for that job."
"This brings to question, what deal did Dr. Carmona make with my opponent?" Nanos said.
KGUN9 reached out to Nanos' opponent, who watched portions of Nanos' remarks. Napier believes that the indictment that was handed up by a grand jury this week vindicates Carmona's assertion that there was something wrong within the department and proves his motivations weren't political.
Napier calls Nanos accusations laughable.
"It is incredulous to suggest that Dr. Carmona would have to enter into a conspiracy with a Republican candidate for sheriff because he's upset because he couldn't get that office," Napier said. "It absolutely strains credibility to the point of being ridiculous, and I hope that people see that. I feel very bad that Carmona is being drug through the mud for standing up and saying I'm seeing something and it's wrong."
Napier says Carmona did call him before the press conference he held last week just as a courtesy. Napier did not attend that conference and says it has nothing to do with his campaign.
Napier has been endorsed by the Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Association, and the Tucson Police Officer's Association. One of the reasons why Napier is running is because of reports of corruption with PCSD that he hopes to change.
Napier was with TPD for more than 20 years.
READ THE RADTKE INDICTMENT BELOW:
