2 deputies among 4 fired by sheriff

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announced the firing of four employees, including two deputies, on Friday.

Sgt. Ron Ryan, an 18-year veteran, was terminated Tuesday after he showed up for weapons testing at a firing range intoxicated in February. The sheriff’s office said an internal affairs investigation found he had a blood-alcohol content of .120, which is .4 over the legal limit, while on duty and in uniform.

Deputy Cardest James, who was the subject of a long investigation that revealed he had failed to properly maintain records for a breathalyzer for more than a year, was fired Monday. The violations caused several DUI cases to be dismissed, and spokeswoman Lt. Tamatha Villar said the sheriff’s office also lost the privilege to use the breathalyzer at its jail in Florence due to James’ errors.

Babeu said James also handed a loaded shotgun to a civilian observer in October during an incident in which the deputy shot a suspect who was brandishing a gun. According to the sheriff’s office, James made several false statements to investigators in the subsequent probe, and he also identified himself as a deputy during an off-duty altercation.

“We have so many fine deputies who protect and serve our county, I will not allow the actions of a few to damage the perishable trust we hold with the public,” Babeu said in a statement. “Officers uphold the law and are held to a higher standard of personal and professional conduct.”

Detention officer Brian Hernandez and dispatcher Brittany Beauchamp were also terminated.

Hernandez was let go after an investigation determined he lied to DPS officers when he was arrested on suspicion of DUI after he got in a car crash while off-duty.

The sheriff’s office said Beauchamp was insubordinate and dishonest during an investigation.

During the press conference on the firings, Babeu said the sheriff’s office, which has more than 5,000 backlogged reports at the start of the year, was now up to date on entering the reports.

Photo courtesy of Pinal County Sheriff’s Office