NewsLocal NewsInvestigations

Actions

Prosecutor on leave for alleged sexual relationship with detective

Maricopa County recruiting medical examiners; offering money back for schooling
Posted at 2:32 PM, Oct 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-06 14:50:00-04

PHOENIX — A Maricopa County Attorney’s Office prosecutor has been placed under internal investigation and on administrative leave for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a detective involved in some of her cases.

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell confirmed she was aware of the situation following ABC15’s questions during a live media briefing on Wednesday.

The prosecutor, Samantha Caplinger, is assigned to MCAO’s sex crimes division and the detective, Shawn Stevwing, is with the Department of Public Safety, according to multiple sources.

“I’m aware of the situation,” Mitchell said. “I have placed a prosecutor on administrative leave to have a personnel investigation done to get to the bottom of what the facts are in that case. And when that investigation is completed, we will take the appropriate action.”

Caplinger recently rejoined MCAO’s sex crime division in recent months after leaving to take a job with the Attorney’s General’s Office.

ABC15 asked Mitchell if she was involved in recruiting Caplinger back due to a shortage of sex crimes prosecutors.

“I was certainly aware that people were talking to various people about coming back," she said. “And that would include this prosecutor as well.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety said that their agency is now looking into the matter and working with MCAO.

Contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.