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Sean D. Reyes
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Paul Petersen Starts Federal Prison Sentence

EL PASO, TX – Paul Petersen, the former Maricopa.AZ County Assessor convicted of adoption fraud started his prison sentence this week, checking in to a federal penitentiary in El Paso.  After serving 74 months there, he will face up to 16.5 years in prison in Arizona and 15 years in Utah.

Utah Attorney General’s office investigators and prosecutors played a key role in securing a conviction for Petersen, who confessed to human trafficking in Utah. Petersen also confessed to fraud and adoption fraud in Arkansas and Arizona for running an illegal international adoption scheme that a judge described as a “baby-selling enterprise”.

News coverage:

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/01/20/paul-petersen-head-prison/

https://www.azfamily.com/news/continuing_coverage/adoption_fraud_investigation/former-county-assessor-paul-petersen-reports-to-prison-thursday-for-illegal-adoptions/article_65de3240-9462-5b14-445-b71930802b6c.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/12/01/paul-petersen-sentenced-6-plus-years-adoption-scheme/3786156001/