Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is facing increased scrutiny as the hunt for the missing Nancy Guthrie nears the two-week mark, has been under the public microscope before.New reports and court records show the sheriff has been embroiled in controversy several times over the past decade.In the weeks leading up his 2024 re-election, which he won by a margin of 481 votes, Nanos placed opponent Heather Lappin, a lieutenant at the Pima County Jail, on administrative leave, ordering her not to discuss the reasoning for his decision, Green Valley News reported.He did the same to Sgt. Aaron Cross, an outspoken opponent of his and the head of the Pima County Deputies Organization.WALMART SALES RECORDS BECOME CRITICAL EVIDENCE AS FBI INVESTIGATES NANCY GUTHRIE’S DISAPPEARANCECross reportedly campaigned against Nanos, holding a sign on a street corner that said “Deputies Don’t Want Nanos” just before he was placed on leave. Nanos claimed Cross campaigned against him while wearing official clothing issued by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) in breach of department rules, which Cross denied.In a federal lawsuit, filed against Nanos, Capt. Juan Navarro and the PCSD, Cross claims “Nanos intentionally or recklessly allowed an employment action against Plaintiff Cross that deprived Plaintiff Cross of the ability to contribute to conversations related to matters of public concern, and failed to consider or understand the First Amendment right to freedom of speech on matters of public concern.” In August, Lappin also filed a lawsuit against Nanos, claiming that after she decided to run…
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