PHOENIX - A local boxing promoter, indicted by a grand jury on five felony counts, was arrested by Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies late last week.
The arrest comes just three months after an investigation by ABC15.
Peter McKinn faces charges including fraudulent schemes, forgery, theft, and conspiracy, stemming from a bad check allegedly written by McKinn to boxing manager Joe Diaz and one of his fighters several years ago.
McKinn is accused of forging Diaz's signature on a receipt.
In July, the ABC15 Investigators uncovered McKinn's strong ties to Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, who was also an appointed member of the Arizona State Boxing Commission.
According to documents and audio tapes obtained by ABC15, Wilcox and her husband attempted numerous times to influence a previous criminal investigation into McKinn.
In an audio-taped interview with Sheriff's detectives, retired Justice of the Peace Carlos Mendoza said the FBI was questioning him about "something to the effect of political corruption or influence peddling or trying to influence a judge."
After signing an arrest warrant for McKinn, Mendoza said McKinn and Earl Wilcox showed up in his chambers unannounced.
"He introduces himself and tells me he is a special aide to the governor and says you must know my wife, Mary Rose Wilcox. She handles your budget," Mendoza said.
Mendoza recalled to detectives, "He (Earl Wilcox) did say something to the effect of these are bogus charges and it should be dropped or dismissed, something to that effect."
Mendoza said he told Wilcox and McKinn to leave.
Later, Mendoza said he nullified the warrant but then called the presiding judge to immediately recuse himself from the case.
At the same time, a confidential internal memo from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office reveals Mary Rose Wilcox was repeatedly calling prosecutors, sending them faxes on county letterhead, and urging them to dismiss the case against McKinn.
"Supervisor Wilcox wanted (prosecutor) Andrea to dismiss the case," the memo states.
According to that memo, the prosecutor felt pressured and uncomfortable, so much so that the prosecutor decided not to return the calls until her supervisor was present.
The memo states that prosecutors spoke with Mary Rose Wilcox's assistant on August 15, 2005, "who demanded to know if the case was dismissed."
When asked why she would interfere with a criminal investigation involving Peter McKinn, Mary Rose Wilcox said, "I did nothing wrong. You're barking up the wrong tree."
Her husband, Earl Wilcox, described McKinn as a good friend, someone he's known for years.
He claimed Mendoza is lying and told ABC15, "I welcome the investigation and look forward to clearing my name."
McKinn is being held at the Fourth Avenue Jail on $10,000 bond.
ABC15 was granted exclusive access to the arrest after our reporting brought this issue to light.
Diaz said widespread corruption involving the boxing commission has destroyed the sport and kept millions of dollars from pouring into the state's economy.
