A state investigation into the misuse of federal funds at the Pima County Sheriff鈥檚 Department found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by any current personnel of the department, Sheriff Mark Napier said Friday.
Napier requested the probe in 2017 following a federal prosecution of then-Chief Deputy Chris Radtke, who was indicted on several felony counts of conspiracy to launder money and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds that were awarded to the sheriff鈥檚 auxiliary volunteers program.
The federal investigation, which took place before Napier became sheriff, revealed that several members of the department were involved in practices to divert RICO money intended for crime-fighting and prevention to buy personal items, fund ceremonies and purchase items for a cafe operated by a relative of Radtke. No one else was charged in the federal case.
Napier said he received the Attorney General鈥檚 report July 7 and it 鈥渄oes not find criminal culpability on the part of existing members of the Sheriff鈥檚 Department. Supposition to the contrary is irresponsible and not supported by this investigation or the prior federal investigation.鈥
While the Attorney General鈥檚 Office declined to file state charges against Radtke or anyone else, Napier said the state office documented an 鈥渆laborate scheme鈥 by Radtke and former Chief of Staff Brad Gagnepain to hide the illegal use of RICO money.
Gagnepain committed suicide in 2016.
鈥淕agnepain and Radtke effectively controlled an unchecked slush fund of public money and used that money to advance their own interests at PCSD,鈥 the AG鈥檚 report says.
The AG鈥檚 report said any possible state prosecution of Radtke would have been based on the same evidence used in the federal prosecution and would likely not result in a different outcome. The state investigation 鈥渦nearthed no new facts meriting a second prosecution,鈥 the report says, while clarifying that a state prosecution was legally permissible.
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In 2017, Radtke accepted a plea agreement for three misdemeanor counts of theft of federal funds and was sentenced to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $3,000 in fines.
Napier, who was elected to office in 2016, said that after the sentencing a number of employees in the department and community members expressed concern over what they saw as a lenient sentence, leading him to request the state investigation, according to a news release from the department.
During his court case, Radtke said the diversion of RICO money for other unapproved uses had been occurring at the Sheriff鈥檚 Department for nearly 20 years.
The FBI鈥檚 investigation into the department鈥檚 use of funds began after a November 2015 story by the 蜜柚直播 about cafes inside department headquarters and the Pima County jail being run by Radtke鈥檚 niece without a contract and rent-free.
Public-records requests revealed the department spent nearly $30,000 on the two spaces, which officials initially said was paid for by RICO money but later said came out of the department鈥檚 general fund.
The AG鈥檚 report stated that most of the federal money to the auxiliary volunteers was diverted to a fund that was primarily used to pay for an annual December ball that cost about $50,000, which paid for the hall rental, dinners of top sirloin, gift bags, tuxedo rentals and dress purchases at Dillard鈥檚.
Napier said the report does place some of the responsibility for the misuse of funds on former sheriffs Clarence Dupnik and Chris Nanos, who Napier defeated in the 2016 election. Nanos and Napier are both running for the office this year.
鈥淯ltimately, the agency head is responsible for thoroughly reviewing and recommending approval of RICO expenditures with respect to both legality and appropriateness,鈥 Napier said.
鈥淭his dark chapter in the history of the Sheriff鈥檚 Department is now closed,鈥 he said.
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Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier said a 鈥渄ark chapter鈥 at the department has been closed after the state said it would not seek further prosecutions in a corruption case.