SECOND APPEAL BY SHERIFF ARPAIO TO OWNER OF CRAIGSLIST: POLICE YOURSELF BETTER AND HINDER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

(Phoenix, AZ) His letter may yet again be ignored, still Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is reaching out to Craigs List Owner, Jim Buckmaster, urging him to better police his website wherein, according to the Sheriff, criminal solicitations are posted and then often acted upon. Arpaio cites numerous investigations his office has conducted in the last two years aimed at ferreting out people interested in soliciting animals for the illegal act of bestiality. So far, Sheriffs deputies have arrested five people in the Phoenix Arizona area, two of whom were convicted for their crimes. The remaining three were just arrested last week and are awaiting trial. Arpaios letter tells Craigs List CEO Buckmaster that the idea of self-policing is obviously not working and that the posting of terms of use which claims Craigslist is not responsible for the content is woefully inadequate.
100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: MediaRequest@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
1

Buckmaster must accept greater responsibility for his company and stop hiding behind excuses, Arpaio says. But I believe it is far more likely that Buckmaster will go right on ignoring my pleas to improve Craigs List or try to solve the problems his popular website is causing. Arpaio says his office will continue to monitor and use the site to locate and arrest people soliciting criminal activity. Days ago, Sheriff Joe Arpaio says his deputies arrested three people including a married couple and their friend for conspiring to commit an act of bestiality with a male Golden Shepherd mix canine. Arpaio says that the three suspects used Craigs List to find a canine to fornicate with the wife while the husband and friend looked on. Shane Walker (1/24/74) and Sarah Dae Walker (9/25/78), residents of Pinal County and Robert A. Aucker (6/29/82) of Gilbert were all arrested and are awaiting trial. Last year, two men in two separate investigations were arrested by Arpaios undercover deputies in a hotel where they came to have sex with a German shepherd. Both were convicted. Bestiality is not illegal in every state in the country but in Arizona it is a crime. In 2006, Sheriff Arpaio was instrumental in encouraging the state legislature to make the act of bestiality a class 6 felony in Arizona. END
100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: MediaRequest@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
2

100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: MediaRequest@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
3