‘Sheriff Joe’ Arpaio found guilty of contempt charge

Former Maricopa County, Ariz. Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been found guilty of criminal contempt for willfully violating a federal judge’s order to stop racial profiling.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton handed down the decision on Monday, according to The Arizona Republic, which added that Arpaio will be sentenced in October for the misdemeanor.

{mosads}The charge stemmed from a 2011 court order issued by U.S. District Court Judge Murray Snow that required Arpaio to stop racially profiling Latinos in his Maricopa County office.

Arpaio, known as “Sheriff Joe,” was found to have disobeyed the order, but claimed his disobedience was unintentional. Snow said Arpaio disobeyed the order to help his 2012 reelection campaign. 

Arpaio, a vocal supporter of then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, lost his bid for reelection in 2016 to Democrat Paul Penzone. The loss ended a 24-year career in the post that saw him rise to national prominence due to his hardline stance on illegal immigration.