The Arizona Rangers have issued a detailed response to debunk major claims of criminal infiltration and corruption within their agency.
These claims of criminal infiltration and corruption were perpetuated by State Sen. Mark Finchem and resulted in proposed legislation, Senate Bill 1071. The legislation would impose regulatory oversight on the Arizona Rangers, currently exempt due to the organization’s status as a volunteer nonprofit. The Arizona Rangers were not created and not controlled by statute.
The organization said this narrative of criminals and corruption within their ranks could be traced back to an individual harboring discontent over a rejected membership. That individual’s narrative was bolstered by aggrieved former members alleging impropriety pertaining to historical employment issues, credential interpretations, and civil disputes.
Arizona Rangers spokesman Robert Shirey said in a statement that Finchem’s justification for SB1071 presented the allegations against the organization as “settled truths” despite investigative findings to the contrary.
“Many of these claims have been investigated, formally reviewed, and reviewed again, and refuted through established internal and legal processes. Others stem from disgruntled former members whose allegations did not withstand scrutiny but have nevertheless been amplified without context or verification,” said Shirey. “What is particularly troubling is that these claims were used to justify legislative action without meaningful engagement with the organization, its leadership, or the documented record that contradicts the accusations. This has resulted in reputational harm not only to the Arizona Rangers as an institution, but to the volunteer men and women who serve honorably, quietly, and selflessly in their communities.”
According to timelines provided by the Rangers, State Sens. Finchem and Kevin Payne claimed in a meeting with the organization’s board last November to have a sizable amount of evidence proving criminal infiltrations, regulatory violations, and internal misconduct.
“[W]e have hard evidence that the organization has been infiltrated by a criminal organization that has been linked to drug trafficking, extortion, child sex trafficking, and more, all of which I am sure you are unaware of,” said Finchem in a follow-up email to Rangers leadership in December.
The senators’ evidence contained decades-old allegations that had long ago been proven false and debunked, per the Rangers.
The Rangers explained in evidentiary documents accompanying their press release that the one unnamed individual who didn’t take their rejection well had applied last January but was denied due to past DUI convictions, past bench warrants for traffic citations, and “an attitude inconsistent with Ranger values.”
That individual was Bryan Keenan, who published a blog last February following his rejection. In it, Keenan claimed he had a “clean record” and was denied based on favoritism within the agency. Keenan followed up that initial blog post with additional posts containing what the Rangers say are unsubstantiated or previously debunked claims.
Three Rangers board members took the brunt of the claims against the organization: Barry Adams, Hernel Aitken, and Lisa Penney. The Rangers attached evidentiary documents that they say disprove those claims, which the Arizona Daily Independent has included here:
The Rangers said the board members were cleared of wrongdoing alleged by external media and anonymous sources.
“No BOD member has violated policy, committed criminal acts, or failed to meet organizational standards,” stated the Rangers.
The same was true of allegations against Colonel Barry Adams. An investigation cleared the colonel of policy violations. However, one company commander contested the findings through improper channels. According to the organization, this commander had previously been subject to discipline for disruptive behavior. This combined set of issues resulted in dismissal for disruptive conduct and violations of organization policy.
In response to Finchem’s unyielding resolve to continue the public narrative of criminal infiltration and corruption to apply legislative reform, the Rangers said they would seek legal and public clarification over the “defamatory statements and improper legislative pressure.”
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