Phoenix, AZ (3/19/2021) – Former Maricopa County, Arizona auditor Paul Petersen will serve a five-year prison term in Arizona, on top of a six-year term in Arkansas in an illegal adoption case that also involved charges in Utah.  Petersen’s Utah sentencing date, earlier set for Monday March 22, has been postponed until further notice.

The Arizona judge imposed the five-year sentence today to run consecutively to his existing sentence in Arkansas.  Petersen pleaded guilty to felony offenses in all three states in the case: Medicaid fraud in Arizona, human  smuggling and communications fraud charges in Utah, and federal charges of harboring immigrants for profit in Arkansas.

Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes said he was pleased a strong message is being sent to human smugglers and traffickers.

“It’s vital to send a message to those who would even think about exploiting and defrauding vulnerable parents and their children,” Reyes said.  “Although no court can make the victims whole or undo the damage Petersen has caused, this strong sentence represents a measure of justice for the many people Petersen exploited and harmed, both in the United States and in the Marshall Islands.”

 “This also demonstrates the power of collaborating at the state and federal level and across multiple states in investigations and prosecutions,” Reyes continued.  “I applaud all of the dedicated professionals in Utah, Arkansas and Arizona for this welcome outcome.”

“We look forward to seeing Petersen sentenced in Utah in the coming weeks,” Attorney General Reyes added.

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