An elected official in metro Phoenix resigned Tuesday, months after being charged with running a human smuggling operation that paid pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to give up their babies in the U.S.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Friday to uphold Maricopa County Assessor Paul Peterson’s 120-day suspension and directed the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to pursue his removal from office.

Investigators tasked by Maricopa County Officials to investigate Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen found no evidence he “neglected” his duties.

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel has hired the attorney who botched an investigation into the Fiesta Bowl a decade ago to oversee a probe of County Assessor Paul Petersen.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to give indicted County Assessor Paul Petersen a chance to challenge his suspension and opened the door for the county attorney to investigate him.

Paul Petersen, the recently suspended Maricopa County Assessor, today pleaded not guilty for the second time in two weeks on allegations that he ran a child smuggling ring.

Maricopa County Assessor and alleged child trafficker Paul Petersen will find out if he is suspended without pay from his elected post when the county board of supervisors votes on October 28.

The next Maricopa County Attorney will come from a pool of eight applicants, all of whom say they will run in 2020 if appointed.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors set the process in motion today to replace Bill Montgomery as Maricopa County Attorney by naming its seven-member citizens committee to vet the applicants hoping to be appointed.

Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Bill Montgomery to the Arizona Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon, making the controversial Maricopa County attorney Ducey’s fifth selection to the state’s highest court.