Supervisors reject removal of sheriff accused of perjury in Nancy Guthrie case

The attempt to remove the sheriff from Condado from Pima, Chris Nanos, failed on Tuesday during a vote by Junta from Supervisores, but the board approved forwarding perjury charges to the state attorney general. Nanos faces allegations that he lied under oath about his disciplinary record as a police officer with Texas during the 1970s and 1980s. The case escalated amid criticism over his handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.

Republican Supervisor Steve Christy filed a motion to declare the sheriff vacant and begin the immediate replacement process. Nenhum colleague supported him, causing the motion to fail in the vote. Next, Democratic supervisor Rex Scott proposed forwarding the perjury allegations against Nanos to the state attorney general, which the board approved 4-0, with Christy abstaining.

Acusações of misconduct in the police career

Registros from El Paso police, first obtained by Arizona Republic and later released publicly by the county, reveals that Nanos was suspended multiple times and resigned rather than be fired. The allegations originated from testimony in court proceedings, in which Nanos stated under oath that he had never been suspended as a police officer.

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The sheriff’s defense maintains that his testimony referred exclusively to his career at Arizona, where he did not suffer suspensions for decades at Departamento of Xerifes of Condado of Pima. The memo confirms that Nanos resigned from Polícia from El Paso in 1982 rather than accept a proposed suspension following a dispute with a supervisor.

Supervisor Matt Heinz disagrees with this interpretation. Ele argues that the records clearly show that Nanos resigned to avoid dismissal, not just discipline. Heinz characterized Nanos as a threat to public safety and criticized years of evading accountability.

Understand the case: Supervisors reject removal of sheriff accused of perjury in Guthrie case

Cronologia from joint actions

The sequence of events at Tuesday’s meeting marked a high-stakes confrontation:

• Supervisor Christy moved motion for immediate vacancy (rejected without support)
• Supervisor Scott proposed forwarding charges to the attorney general (passed 4-0)
• Nanos filed a written response rejecting accusations of perjury
• Christy pointed out that the sheriff missed the deadline to answer questions under oath
• Heinz stated that perjury conviction would force Nanos out

Impasse legal and financial resources

Removing the sheriff presents significant legal complications. As an elected official, Nanos has robust constitutional protections. Supervisores cite rare Arizona law dating back to the 1800s as a possible path. Ambos the sides hired outside legal counsel rather than turning to the county attorney’s office, a move that Christy said is costing taxpayers additional resources.

Heinz indicated the board could take other actions, including resolving a lack of confidence in leadership or referring the allegations to criminal investigation by the state attorney general. Ele also noted that conviction for perjury would force the sheriff out.

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Investigação Guthrie exceeds 100 days

The disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie occurred on February 1 and the investigation has now exceeded 100 days with little public progress. The case attracted national attention and generated tension between Nanos and the FBI, including a public clash with director Kash Patel over whether federal agents were initially removed.

Heinz formally requested that Nanos transfer the investigation to federal authorities. Mais’s $1.2 million reward has been offered for information leading to answers, as the family continues to ask for help.

Rex Scott directly criticized Nanos’s leadership. “My main concern with what has been happening in the sheriff’s department is that our elected sheriff has not taken discernible efforts to repair relationships and trust in our largest department,” Scott said after the vote. “The most telling example was the unanimous vote by Organização of Deputados of Condado of Pima declaring a lack of confidence in their leadership.”

Resposta from Nanos and next steps

In a written response to the board, Nanos refuted the accusations, arguing that the controversy stems from misunderstanding, not perjury. Seu lawyer maintains that the sheriff’s testimony referred only to his career at Arizona. The sheriff refused to answer questions in person under oath, submitting a notarized statement to the board after a deadline, which Heinz said could still be accepted but did not resolve underlying concerns.