EXCLUSIVE: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is facing explosive allegations that go far beyond "clerical errors" on his resume - with newly surfaced records suggesting he may have been forced out of his previous police job under a cloud of misconduct claims.
While the Sheriff's Department insists two date discrepancies on Nanos' publicly posted resume were "administrative in nature," documents obtained by the Arizona Republic paint a dramatically different picture of his departure from the El Paso Police Department.
The Guthrie case has put Sheriff Nanos under intense scrutiny. savannahguthrie/Instagram
THE DAMNING RECORDS: According to the Arizona Republic's investigation, Nanos allegedly resigned from the El Paso PD in 1982 to avoid termination. The records reportedly detail multiple disciplinary issues including:
- Allegations of insubordination and dereliction of duty
- Multiple excessive force complaints
- Pattern of tardiness and insufficient performance
- Off-duty gambling allegations
- Numerous disciplinary reviews
When confronted with these allegations, Nanos reportedly responded with sarcasm: "That's your 'urgent' request? You sure you don't want to go back to my high school and ask why I got swats from the principal? Good luck with your hit piece."
The Sheriff's Department maintains Nanos "served with the El Paso Police Department from 1976 to 1982" and was promoted to captain in 2007 (not 2009 as previously stated), calling the discrepancies "administrative errors not intended to mislead."
Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has led the Pima County Sheriff's Department since 2021. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty
THE GUTHRIE CONNECTION: The timing couldn't be worse for Nanos, who has already faced criticism for his handling of the high-profile Nancy Guthrie missing persons case. The investigation into Savannah Guthrie's mother began February 1, putting the Sheriff's leadership under intense public scrutiny.
Despite the mounting allegations, the Sheriff's Department continues to defend Nanos, stating he "has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to professionalism, accountability, and the safety of the communities he serves."
KEY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED: The Pima County Sheriff's Department told TheEntBase they have "no additional information to share" about Nanos' time at El Paso PD. Multiple requests for comment to both Nanos and the El Paso Police Department have gone unanswered, leaving crucial questions about the Sheriff's past unresolved as he leads one of Arizona's most high-profile investigations.
