Mayor of Superior pleads not guilty to theft charge

PHOENIX — Superior Mayor Jayme Valenzuela pleaded not guilty Thursday to one felony count of theft, a charge brought by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich after the embattled mayor was found to have used the town’s debit card to make personal withdrawals.

The mayor’s unfortunate saga began when former Town Clerk Rachel Sanchez revealed a town debit card had been used to make cash withdrawals adding up to $1,300 for personal use, including at Gila River’s Wild Horse Pass Casino. Valenzuela admitted to the withdrawals in December, calling them a mistake; he also said he paid the money back to the town before that meeting. However, a third-party audit showed Valenzuela made his so-called mistake on eight separate occasions since 2012, with withdrawals totaling $2,300 and paid back in two installments after the December meeting. Thus, the Superior Town Council sought the AG investigation that led to Valenzuela’s indictment.

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