Once more Tempe is catching front page headlines for crime.
On May 16 Tempe residents were treated to the news that longtime Tempe City Councilmember and current state legislator Ben Arredondo had been indicted on federal corruption, mail fraud and attempted extortion charges after an Federal Bureau of Investigation undercover operation.
It seems like it’s just one big time crime problem after another in Tempe. On March 2, a shootout between two organized crime street gangs left sixteen wounded at a Tempe nightclub.
Last December, the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced that after a 15-month investigation, 203 drug dealers with ties to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel were arrested in what Tempe police called the the largest drug investigation in Tempe’s history.
In 2009 Tempe police announced they’d arrested 130 people tied to the Sinaloa gang and that was the biggest bust in Tempe history.
And while the corruption indictment and presence of the Sinaloa cartel catch the big headlines, Tempe still comes in first when it comes to serious crime in the East Valley and second in the county behind Glendale for countywide crime. Tempe’s serious crime went up 5 percent in 2011.
By all appearances, Tempe has a crime problem.
And with the indictment of Arredondo it may even have a corruption problem too? It’s a problem that might extend well beyond him.
In reporter Garin Groff’s May 24 East Valley Tribune story (“Prosecutors want secrecy in Arredondo extortion case to protect other investigations”), it was reported “prosecutors filed a motion with the U.S. District Court to have a judge place a protective order on all materials ... that led to Arredondo’s May 16 indictment.” Prosecutors said they had amassed “a large amount of material” with sensitive information to ongoing and closed investigations.”
Sealing a case is not taken lightly. It happens most often in organized crime, drug and corruption cases.
For now one can only wonder if anyone else was involved with Arredondo?
Tempe officials have reportedly refused to identify at least one city employee and city council members whose names came up in the FBI investigation.
Arredondo’s bust isn’t the first time a Tempe official has been indicted on corruption charges.
In May 1994 Tempe City Magistrate Stephen Mirretti pled guilty to corruption charges the Tribune reported involved “fraud, bribery, theft of public money and conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation.”
A 1995 Associated Press story said, “Mirretti and three co-defendants admitted to payoffs in return for no-bid contracts to provide Tempe services. The scheme funneled more than $478,000 to Mirretti.”
Mirretti’s inner circle of powerful friends at city hall included ranking officials and department heads.
After the bust it was obvious Tempe officials weren’t paying attention to how Mirretti was doing business.
His coziness with the very people who were supposed to be providing “checks and balances” and who were too busy being the judge’s good buddies no doubt contributed to the massive breech of the public’s trust.
Following the Mirretti scandal then newly elected Mayor Neil Guiliano led a clean-up campaign. There was a purge at city hall and safeguards were put in place.
But how things have changed since Guilano left office eight years ago.
One need only look at Tempe’s reported links to Fiesta Bowl Lobbyist Gary Husk, the millions the city paid to the Fiesta and Insight.com Bowls and the no-bid, sole source contract that paid lobbyist Husk $96,000 to purportedly help the police chief reorganize his department.
According to city officials Husk’s work produced no written work product. Husk is also reportedly under investigation by the FBI.
It all stinks to me.
Hopefully, newly-elected Mayor Mark Mitchell will get to the bottom of Tempe’s obvious failed system of checks and balances and the delivery of city services that has allowed organized and serious crime to grow and questions about official corruption in Tempe to make the headlines.
Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net.
chatmandu002 posted at 12:00 pm on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
I wonder if Bill is trying to get the Tempe police chief job? LOL
VofReason posted at 1:16 pm on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
But look at the nice man made lake they have? That one will pay for itself one day- right? No fruad or abuse there.
billrichardson posted at 2:43 pm on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
chatmandu002,
Can you here me LOL?
Engaged Voter posted at 4:38 pm on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
Bill, I think you meant *hear*. You are careful to take the time to proofread your letters, you should do the same with your comments. ;)
"Tempe still comes in first when it comes to serious crime in the East Valley"
Yes, if you ignore the record drug busts occuring elsewhere in the East Valley - Google "Chandler Record Heroin/Cocaine Bust" - this just happened last week!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 10:04 am on Sat, Jun 2, 2012.
WHEN WILL THE .................TEMPE VENDETTA............END.
WHEN YOU OPEN THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC OR THE EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE....ALL.....ALL OF THE EAST VALLEY AND EVEN THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER TRYING TO ENFORCE LAWS ............ALL OF THEM...........NOT JUST.....TEMPE.........OR THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, THE PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT OR THE DPS...................ALL OF THESE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE BEEN ................"VENDETTA-IZED"....AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.................[sad]
KJDaVinci777 posted at 10:31 pm on Sat, Jun 2, 2012.
Cheatman and Lionbreath...If you favor corruption in govt., just say so. You do not have to attack the reporter..(I doubt Bill has an interest in TPD after working for the feds and DPS).Or if you cannot handle the truth - move to Chicago or Arpiaos liar den. Or you could ask Obamas HOLDER for another holding job. Talking about corruption, how can the FBI take a few days to indict Arredombo and still NOT indict Arizonas Sheriff of ORGANIZE crime Joe (narcissist)Arpeio. I hope the FBI is not pressured by the Pearceheads and just go after the Mexican surnames...Arpiojo will make Aredumbo look like a cub scout.[wink]
hillstreet posted at 8:44 am on Mon, Jun 4, 2012.
Bill,
Most of your columns have a point and I can understand their purpose. But once in a while you'll write a W-T-F opinion piece that drives me nuts.
"By all appearances, Tempe has a crime problem." Really? Every city. town, and county in this state (and every other state) has a crime problem. We all have crime regardless of jurisdiction. And to try to use Arredondo as supporting fact for this assertion is disingenous. No other entity in the valley has corrupt politicians? The Legislature alone is over-populated with crooks; does that mean AZ has a "crime problem?"
Not your best column....
billrichardson posted at 1:21 pm on Mon, Jun 4, 2012.
Tempe has had three major corruption scandals since 1988. Can you think of any other city in the East Valley or the county that can equal that? Two of the scandals resulted in indictments of public officials. Two of the three resulted in city officials leaving their jobs. And we still don't know how far the latest Tempe stink-fest will reach. Arizona does have a crime problem. Some would argue that public corruption is a key ingredient in having a growing organized crime problem. Arizona and Tempe have both.
hillstreet posted at 9:40 am on Tue, Jun 5, 2012.
Bill,
How far do u want to go back? Mecham? Keating? Symington? The Nogales mayor and son? Senator Carolyn "I want to die rich" Walker? We can do this all day and u all missing my point. You seem to single out Tempe more often than not, when crime and corruption is pretty much state-wide. "Sheriff" Babeu's escapades alone should give you material for the next six months yet you do not write about him. Read yesterday's Republic and the sweet connection between one of Stanton's chief of staff and how his spouse has pending tow contracts before the Phoenix council. There is corruption everywhere in the Valley, and state. (memo to Tom Horne-get off your fat b-u-t-t and do your job!).
Arredondo, is a greedy idiot who got caught peddling influence for a few dollars worth of event tickets. It is NOT the French Connection.
ps- I do not live in Tempe.
billrichardson posted at 11:49 am on Tue, Jun 5, 2012.
Tempe is in the forefront because they seem to be getting the most ink about what's going on in the city. Tempe also has a history of activity involving corruption and city/elected officials.
Arizona also has a long record of corruption.
Pinal County always seems to pop up when there are issues of corruption and public officials.
I remember Ev, Charlie and Fife quite well. Arizona has a long history of corruption and organized crime.
The biggest difference I see now is the incredible amount of money that's available to buy government officials.
The other big difference I see now is the lack of a state or county prosecutor who is willing to target corruption and organized crime. A Bob Corbin is what we need. Or a Rick Romley who did AZSCAM.
As for Horne, his record speaks for itself and his reportedly being under investigation by the FBI speaks even louder.
As is usually the case when it comes to public corruption it usually involves more than one crook in one place.
hillstreet posted at 2:01 pm on Tue, Jun 5, 2012.
"Arizona also has a long record of corruption."
Couldn't agree more. As such, singling out Tempe is rather pointless.
billrichardson posted at 5:32 pm on Tue, Jun 5, 2012.
Tempe is the most recent and currently the most obvious.
hillstreet posted at 2:59 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Ok. Here a more current story; a Pinal Co. sheriff who blatantly lies to the media, violates DRMO rules and give equipment away, and is under three investigations.
billrichardson posted at 7:07 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Stay tuned. Thanks for taking the time to read my column and comment.
KJDaVinci777 posted at 9:12 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Bill, Corbin or Romley would be a good start for cleaning the houses of corruption...Due to the fact that the FBI appears to be intimidated by Paula Babesue and Joe Arpiojo...In law enforcement 101 HORNE, BABABSUE, AND ARPIAO WOULD BE PRIORITY TARGETS. Aredondo is a 0 compared to the cancers of organized corruption...I do not understand what hillstreetblue wants you to say...I know that in the past you have mentioned Pearce-Babesue-King of Corruption Joe A. among others...
hillstreet posted at 3:03 pm on Thu, Jun 7, 2012.
I don't need Bill to say anything. The premise of his article is flawed and I explained why it is so. Tempe has no more or less troubles than most other cities in the state. There's plenty of governmental corruption to write plenty of articles, I just think Bill tends to lean on Tempe a little more often than necessary.