Former Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy Tim Abrahamson is set to plead guilty in North Dakota for his alleged, pre-planned attack on his wife's ex-lover.
Meanwhile, we're waiting to find out the current duty status of Abrahamson's buddy, Steve Carpenter, who drove to North Dakota and apparently waited in a rented sedan while Abrahamson beat the victim severely.
Jason Swart of West Fargo, who'd had an affair with Abrahamson's wife, lost part of an ear in the cowardly attack.
Records show that Abrahamson didn't want a fair fight. Swart told cops he'd just pulled up at home when a sedan with two men inside drove into his driveway. The man later identified as Abrahamson stepped out. The then-deputy showed him envelopes, distracting Swart by claiming that he'd been receiving the man's mail. The next thing Swart remembers, he was waking up in a pool of his own blood, the sedan and two men gone.
North Dakota cops, with Swart's help, soon had Abrahamson in their sights as the culprit. The former deputy was charged with aggravated assault.
Carpenter was granted immunity by North Dakota authorities in exchange for tattling on Abrahamson. Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office put Carpenter back on the street for two months after learning of his role in the attack, but placed him on paid administrative leave on November 8.
Abrahamson, who played a key role in investigating anti-corruption cases against county officials that would later be discredited, resigned from the Sheriff's Office on November 30.
Cass County prosecutor Tristan Van de Streek today confirmed for New Times that Abrahamson was expected to enter to a guilty plea during a May 6 hearing. Van de Streek declined comment on other aspects of the case, saying that public records from the incident will be available once the suspect pleads guilty.
