Pima County is investigating Sheriff Nanos’ handling of the deputy sexual assault case

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) – In 2022, Sergeant Ricardo Garcia allegedly sexually assaulted a female deputy while he was her supervisor. The incident happened at a party when he was off duty.

“My role is not only to protect the integrity of the case, but also to prevent this victim from being victimized again,” said Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.

On Tuesday, the Pima County Board of Supervisors will discuss Nanos’ handling of the situation at their board meeting.

Nanos feels that regulators bringing up the incident again will re-victimize the woman who was sexually assaulted.

The Pima County Deputies Organization claims PCSD refused to intervene for more than eighty minutes.

Nanos said the department arrested Garcia and he was immediately fired.

Last September, the Pima County Board of Supervisors asked the attorney general’s office to conduct their own investigation after Nanos was accused of failing to conduct a “timely and thorough investigation” into the incident.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has sent a letter to Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher saying they have not discovered any criminal wrongdoing on the part of Sheriff Nanos, but that they are concerned about four different violations.

That letter stated that emergency services handling the situation provided little to no assistance and that some did not immediately report it.

Nanos said he is confident in his decision.

“This sheriff knows what he’s doing. I’ve been doing it for almost half a century,” Nanos said.

However, he feels that the Board of Supervisors is raising the incident and that its handling of it is politically motivated, especially since it is during election season.

“If they really wanted to know anything about this case, the time would have been to invite the sheriff onto their board to explain themselves before asking for an investigation,” he said.

Nanos said he was never told the matter was on the agenda for Tuesday’s board meeting.

Emails between Nanos and Chairwoman Adelita Grijalva and other county officials, including Supervisor Steve Christy, describe Nanos as saying the timing is suspicious. A representative for Christy confirmed that he has been invited to the meeting.

Garcia’s trial is scheduled for December. Nanos said he is willing to talk to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, but said it will be in executive session once the election is over.

“I am not going to politicize this matter. I have been firm…we are just not going to do that,” Nanos said.