Arizona AG sues former sheriff over overtime pay scheme
Sheriff Tony Estrada
PHOENIX (AP) The Arizona Attorney General is suing former seven-term Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada and a former top aide to recover nearly $200,000 they say the pair allowed to be illegally paid to sheriff’s deputies for extra duties.
But the attorney representing Estrada and his former chief deputy called the allegations that stem from an Arizona Auditor General’s report “absurd.
Tucson lawyer Douglas Clark Jr. said Thursday that top county officials knew of the practice for years and approved of it. The lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks repayment of nearly $200,000 and triple damages.
Officials with the Arizona Auditor General’s Office say Tony Estrada and a former top aide may have violated state laws governing the use of public money and the solicitation of fraud.