A Service of UA Little Rock
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Former Politician Involved In Adoption Scheme To Be Sentenced In January

Paul Petersen, seen here while still assessor for Maricopa County in Arizona, has acknowledged running an illegal adoption scheme involving women from the Marshall Islands.
Facebook

Prosecutors in Arkansas will seek a 10-year prison sentence next week for a former Arizona politician who acknowledged running an illegal adoption scheme in three states involving women from the Marshall Islands.

Prosecutors said former Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen defrauded state courts, violated an international adoption compact and took advantage of birth mothers.

Petersen is a Republican who also worked as an adoption attorney.

He faces sentencings in January for convictions in Arizona and Utah.

Petersen said he accepts the consequences of his actions. His plea in court papers for leniency was accompanied by letters of support from some adoptive families.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
Related Content