The Pima County Board of Supervisors has taken decisive action, unanimously voting to summon Sheriff Chris Nanos for a hearing. This move comes amidst escalating scandals involving allegations of perjury and retaliation against his subordinates. The board’s decision also coincides with the ongoing, unresolved investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, which has now stretched into its third month.
Scrutiny of Nanos has intensified as local leaders question his past career claims, particularly as his department continues the search for Guthrie, who is the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie. The 84-year-old Guthrie was suspected to have been abducted from her home on February 1, a case that has drawn significant public and media attention.
Criticism of Nanos has been twofold. While some are dissatisfied with how he is handling the Guthrie case, others have raised separate issues. Among these is an allegation of perjury related to a deposition in a First Amendment lawsuit filed by one of his deputies. This lawsuit has sparked concerns about Nanos’ credibility and the management practices within his department.
In light of these issues, the Board of Supervisors has called on Nanos to address questions about his employment history, personnel management, and leadership of internal affairs. This decision, documented in public records, underscores the board’s commitment to accountability and transparency in the sheriff’s office.
A visual captured the gravity of the situation, juxtaposing images of Nancy Guthrie and Sheriff Nanos, the former a missing woman from Tucson, Arizona, and the latter the embattled sheriff under scrutiny. These images, provided by NBC and Getty Images, have become emblematic of the ongoing drama.
Despite the mounting pressures and the board’s call for a hearing, Sheriff Nanos has refrained from making any public comments regarding the decision. Notably, during the meeting, he was not accused of any misconduct directly related to the Guthrie investigation.
At a board meeting last week, the agenda included time for legal advice over how to address allegations of perjury against Nanos.
During a recent deposition, Nanos said he had never been suspended as a result of disciplinary action while working as a law enforcement officer.
An undated photo of Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie provided by NBC in response to the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of the Today Show host. (Courtesy of NBC)
According to public records published alongside the board meeting agenda, he had been suspended repeatedly as a police officer in El Paso, Texas, and resigned in lieu of termination before he came to Arizona in the early 1980s.
The documents indicate he was suspended for multiple weeks early in his career for things like excessive force, coming to work late, failure to report for duty and firing a gun inappropriately.
Pima County sheriff Chris Nanos was seen at a basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
According to the Pima County Deputy’s Organization, his department’s labor union, he also said in his initial application that he left the El Paso Police Department in search of better pay and for personal reasons.
“He did not disclose that he resigned in lieu of termination,” the union wrote in a Facebook post. “Lying on your application would prohibit anyone from being hired.”
Annie Guthrie, her husband Tommaso Cioni, and Savannah Guthrie at their missing mother Nancy Guthrie’s home on Monday, March 2, in Tucson, Arizona. (Fox News)
Timing for Nanos’ appearance in front of the board was not immediately clear, but the board’s outside counsel is expected to draft language for the request by April 7.
The tension with other elected officials within the county is a distraction for the sheriff that could have a negative impact on the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance, according to Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and former criminal justice professor.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the investigation after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her in Tucson, Arizona, U.S. on February 5, 2026. (Rebecca Noble/Reuters)
The pressure could force an unnecessary error, he warned, and could also trickle down to the detectives on the case.
“When the executive is under stress, he continues to make micromanagement moves,” he said. “Investigators lose the ability to think on their own and instead turn around and say, ‘Well, let’s just wait for the boss to tell us what to do.’”
When promoted to a supervisory position in his own career, Giacalone said, a key piece of advice he received was to let the detectives do their jobs without interfering.
The board’s vote is the latest in a series of incidents involving the sheriff.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media on Feb. 3, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. He was answering questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)
At a meeting on Nov. 12, 2024, the supervisors had initially planned to vote on a motion to censure the sheriff over his treatment of his rival during the 2024 race. She was Lt. Heather Lappin, then the Republican candidate for sheriff. He was also accused of taking unconstitutional actions against another political foe, Sgt. Aaron Cross, the president of the Pima County deputies’ union.
The board also accused Nanos of using his office “in an attempt to smear his political opponent” and surmised that “it is clear that the board of supervisors must in fact act to ensure accountability.”
Read the letter:
But a deputy county attorney told the supervisors they didn’t have the formal power to issue a censure and suggested they could face legal ramifications.
So the board, four Democrats and a single Republican, voted unanimously to request an investigation from the state attorney general or the U.S. Department of Justice.
“During the recent election, Sheriff Nanos placed two employees of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into potential violations of state and federal law, and internal policy. One of the employees was his opponent in the November General Election,” letters from the board to both agencies read.
“Of concern to the Board of Supervisors is any potential violation of state or federal laws by Sheriff Nanos, which may include using his official capacity to impact the outcome of an election and/or repressing the rights specified under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution of an individual.”
That was in the days after the election. Nanos has now served more than a year of his latest term.
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