Sheriff Babeu’s ex-boyfriend denies hacking allegations

By Daniel Gonzalez

Posted: Feb.23rd, 2012

Jose Orozco, the Mexican man who has accused Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu of abuse of power, denies hacking into Babeu’s political campaign website, his lawyer said.

Orozco also denies that he stole Babeu’s identity or his property, said Adnan Horan, a Phoenix immigration and criminal lawyer, whose firm is representing Orozco.

“Jose adamantly denies these criminal allegations,” Horan said at a news conference Thursday morning at his offices on Camelback Road in NorthCentral Phoenix. “Number one, Jose adamantly denies he hacked Sheriff Babeu’s accounts or site. And number two, he denies he stole his identify and denies he stole his property.”

Orozco did not attend the news conference. Horan said he has instructed Orozco not to give any more interviews until an independent investigation requested by Babeu is completed.

Orozco set off a political fire storm when he accused Babeu, a first-term Republican sheriff who is running for a seat in Congress, of making threatening and intimidating statements after their romantic relationship spanning several years, soured. He made allegations in a story published Friday by the Phoenix New Times on the alternative magazine’s website.

Babeu acknowledged he is gay and confirmed he had a relationship with Orozco but has vehemently denied threatening or intimidating him.

On Tuesday, a day after his lawyer and campaign manager told The Arizona Republic that the sheriff would not seek an independent investigation to clear his name, Babeu asked Attorney General Tom Horne to open an inquiry. On Wednesday, Horne designated his office’s solicitor general to head an independent investigation.

Amy Rezzonico, a spokeswoman for the state Attorney General’s office confirmed that the investigation will look at all allegations that have been made, both against Babeu and against Orozco.

Babeu has claimed that Orozco was a volunteer worker on his political campaign in charge of managing his campaign website and Twitter account. Babeu claims that after the relationship ended, Orozco retaliated by posting negative material on the sites. Babeu has said he declined to pursue criminal charges against Orozco after Babeu’s lawyer sent him a cease and desist letter and Orozco agreed to stop posting the negative materials.

AZCentral.com