Claims of abuse at Maricopa County jail countered by charges of filing false report

PHOENIX - The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has asked for charges of filing a false report against a man who claimed he was abused by MCSO deputies behind bars.

Kolton Clark, 18, was brought to jail last month after being arrested for fighting. His mug shot showed several cuts and bruises to his face.

After his release, Clark claimed deputies beat him and used a taser gun on him without cause. 

The Sheriff's Office did its own investigation, looking over hours of jailhouse video and audio recordings of phone calls made by Clark, and found what sounded like a scheme to make money off the claim with a connection to a man running against Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the upcoming election.

ABC15 News obtained the video and audio recordings and did not see any violence on the video provided.

The audio recordings are between Kolton Clark and a woman deputies identify as his mother.

Clark is heard saying, "...cause I was gonna put a race card at Joe Arpaio that I got beat cause I have brown skin."

The female says, "Your dad said you are looking at millions of dollars."

While Clark was behind bars, the family reached out to a man named John Rowan to help with the bail money to secure his release. The family says they found him in an article on the internet. 

John Rowan happens to be running against Arpaio for Maricopa County Sheriff.

Rowan paid the $125 bond amount, saying he was helping a family in need.

On other phone recordings, Clark and his mother connect Rowan to the extortion plot as a way to take down Arpaio in the upcoming election.

The female says, "They are going to prove a point...they are trying to get him out of office. All of this is Rowan's doing. And you will probably be a freaking millionaire when you walk out." 

Rowan told ABC15 News that the family reached out to him for financial support, and any claims beyond that are "ridiculous."

Kolton Clark's father Brian told ABC15 News that he can't control what his son or ex-wife says, but confirms that Rowan was helping a family in need.

He also stands by his son's claims that he was mistreated behind bars.