TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - After a former Pima County Sheriff’s official revealed in federal court that a criminal conspiracy to misuse federal funds had been going on for about 20 years, the current sheriff is asking the state to step in and conduct a second investigation.
Former Chief Deputy Christopher Radtke was indicted last year on several felony counts of conspiracy to launder money and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. In February, Radtke accepted a plea agreement for three misdemeanor counts of theft of federal funds and was sentenced in May to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $3,000 in fines.
Sheriff Mark Napier 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.
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