Arizona’s most notorious sheriff has avoided charges of abusing his power. But Joe Arpaio’s legal troubles are not over.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix quietly announced late Friday, just before the three-day weekend, that it would not prosecute Arpaio on abuse-of-power charges. Federal prosecutors spent four years investigating the 80-year-old law enforcement official, who bills himself “America’s Toughest Sheriff.”

The investigation included former Maricopa County prosecutor and Arpaio ally Andrew Thomas and his aide, Lisa Aubuchon. Both were disbarred by the state Supreme Court after an ethics panel concluded they brought criminal charges against two county officials and a judge in December 2009 with the purpose of embarrassing them. The unethical attacks were aided by Arpaio’s one-time anti-public corruption squad, which has since been disbanded.

But more court cases await Arpaio.

A group of Latinos sued Arpaio, who has aggressively targeted illegal immigration, for allowing his office to use racial profiling on an ongoing basis. That case is before a federal judge awaiting a verdict.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice sued him for alleged constitutional violations including racial profiling, retaliating against critics, punishing Latino jail inmates for having limited English skills and failing to adequately investigate a large number of sex-crimes cases. The case is awaiting trial.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Decision Not To Charge Ariz. Sheriff Isn't the End (by Bob Christie and Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press)

How Feds' Arpaio Case Unraveled (by Michael Kiefer, JJ Hensley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona Republic)

Joe Arpaio (Wikipedia)