http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/us/maricopa-county-sheriff-joe-arpaio.html 2016-10-11 22:50:27 Arizona Sheriff to Be Charged Over Immigration Patrols Prosecutors announced in federal court that they would charge Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County with criminal contempt of court for defying a judge’s order. === PHOENIX — Prosecutors said Tuesday that they would charge Sheriff The announcement in federal court sets in motion criminal proceedings against the sheriff, of Maricopa County, less than a month before Election Day as he seeks a seventh term. A judge previously Sheriff Arpaio, 84, could face up to six months in jail if convicted of misdemeanor contempt. His lawyer, Mel McDonald, said that the sheriff would plead not guilty by a court filing and that he hoped to prevail before a jury. “We believe the sheriff, being an elected official, should be judged by his peers,” Mr. McDonald said. The move is yet another setback for the sheriff, who became a national political figure over the last decade by aggressively carrying out immigration patrols and attention-getting endeavors, including making prisoners wear pink underwear. After complaints by Latino drivers about racial profiling, a judge demanded that Sheriff Arpaio stop the enforcement efforts. He was later found to have violated the order, causing it to morph into a contempt-of-court case. Sheriff Arpaio has acknowledged violating the order to stop the immigration patrols, but insists that his disobedience was not intentional. Maricopa County taxpayers have paid $48 million so far in the case, and the costs are expected to reach $72 million by next summer.