By Heather Smathers an Kevin Reagan | PinalCentral
A former Pinal County sheriff and chief prosecutor repeatedly did not follow guidelines and procedures while awarding funds to community organizations, according to an audit done by the state.
Sheriff’s Office employees, under the guidance of Paul Babeu, appear to have violated conflict of interest policies by maintaining connections to a nonprofit organization, the Arizona Public Safety Foundation, which was receiving thousands of dollars in grants from the County Attorney’s Office, according to an audit by the Arizona Auditor General’s Office.
These grants were derived from assets that law enforcement seized from criminals through the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The state audited how Pinal County disbursed these funds between 2013 and 2016. PinalCentral recently obtained a copy of the audit’s preliminary findings.
In some instances, the audit concluded these funds were being used on expenditures that benefited county employees.
