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Former Arizona Utility Regulator Indicted On Bribery Charges

Arizona Corporation Commission

A former Arizona utility regulator has been indicted on bribery and fraud charges in what prosecutors said was a scheme to funnel $31,000 in payments to him and arrange his purchase of a $350,000 property in exchange for favorable votes for a utility.

Former Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, his wife Sherry Ann Pierce, utility owner George Harry Johnson and lobbyist Jim Norton were indicted Tuesday on eight federal charges.

The indictment said Gary Pierce voted in 2011 to let Johnson's company request that Johnson's personal income taxes be covered by the utility's customers in Pinal County utility if regulators were to allow such a practice in the future.

Pierce also is accused of taking bribes to push rate increases through the commission that would boost returns for Johnson Utilities.