Sheriff Chris Nanos Perjury Allegations: Pima County Board Weighs Removal Today | 17GEN4 News
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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos Faces Perjury Allegations as Board of Supervisors Prepares for Pivotal Review on Disciplinary Record
By 17GEN4 News Staff
Tucson, Ariz. — May 12, 2026
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is confronting serious allegations of perjury that could cost him his job. The claims center not on the Guthrie case but on Nanos’ sworn statements about his decades-old disciplinary history as a police officer in El Paso, Texas.
At issue is a December 11, 2025, deposition Nanos gave in an unrelated First Amendment lawsuit filed against him by the president of the Pima County Deputies Association. During the deposition, Nanos was asked whether he had “ever received discipline as a law enforcement officer.” He responded “Yes,” attributing most incidents to minor issues like car accidents that resulted in letters or verbal counseling. When pressed on whether any discipline “rose to the level of suspension,” he answered “No.” The exchange appears on Page 11 of the transcript.
County records and El Paso Police Department files tell a different story. Nanos served with the El Paso PD from 1976 until his resignation on August 3, 1982. He received eight suspensions totaling 32 days between July 1979 and June 1982, including a 15-day suspension in March 1982 for excessive force after he allegedly struck a handcuffed suspect in the head with a flashlight, hospitalizing the man in the ICU. Other suspensions were for habitual tardiness and insubordination. A disciplinary board voted unanimously that Nanos could no longer serve as a police officer due to “consistent inefficiency” and failure to uphold standards. He resigned in lieu of termination. His official Pima County résumé, however, listed service until 1984 and cited “personal” reasons or a “better paying job” for leaving.
Pima County Supervisor Dr. Matt Heinz and at least one other supervisor (reports name Steve Christie or similar allies) allege these deposition answers constitute perjury. Heinz has stated the board received a notarized statement from Nanos swearing to the veracity of his responses “under penalty of perjury.” The supervisors argue the statements contain lies about his separation from the El Paso PD.
In March 2026, the Board of Supervisors unanimously invoked a rarely used Arizona statute (A.R.S. § 11-253) to demand a sworn report from Nanos addressing his employment history, disciplinary actions, and other departmental issues. Nanos submitted a 12-page written response through his attorney in April. His legal team maintains there was a “misunderstanding” because the deposition question referred to discipline from an out-of-state agency not governed by Arizona’s Peace Officers Bill of Rights. The sheriff “promptly notified his attorney” after reviewing the transcript, they say. Nanos has not commented publicly on the allegations, citing the legal nature of the matter.
The board delayed full review of Nanos’ report until today, May 12 — the 100th day since Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home and the deadline several supervisors set for Nanos to resign or face a motion to vacate his office. At least two supervisors have signaled they will file that motion if he does not step down voluntarily. Possible outcomes include a vote of no confidence, referral of perjury allegations to the Pima County Attorney’s Office or Arizona Attorney General for criminal prosecution, or even removal proceedings under the state law. The board has also pushed the AG to pursue perjury charges with the Department of Justice.
Supervisors have repeatedly emphasized that the effort to oust Nanos has “nothing to do” with his handling of the Guthrie investigation, despite widespread criticism of the case. FBI Director Kash Patel publicly faulted the sheriff’s office for allegedly delaying FBI involvement by four days. Nanos’ department countered that an FBI task force member was on scene the night of the disappearance.
As of this evening, the Board of Supervisors meeting to review the report and consider next steps is underway or recently concluded, with no final vote or resignation announced in real time. Nanos and his office have not issued additional statements today.
The case has drawn national attention because of its overlap with the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, whose daughter is NBC’s Savannah Guthrie. Local officials say the perjury claims alone have eroded public confidence in the sheriff. “He has definitely lost the confidence of the community,” Heinz said. “He’s embarrassed himself, and it’s time for him to go.”
Sheriff Chris Nanos Perjury Allegations: Pima County Board Weighs Removal Today | 17GEN4 News
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos faces perjury claims over alleged lies about El Paso PD suspensions in a 2025 deposition. Board of Supervisors meets May 12 on possible ouster amid Nancy Guthrie case scrutiny. Full details and latest updates from 17GEN4 News.