The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says a convicted sex offender was mistakenly released from custody Monday due to an administrative error.
David Samaniego Sr. was released from the county jail Monday afternoon, PCSD said in a news release. Hours later on Tuesday morning, detectives found the 72-year-old man near downtown Tucson and returned him to custody.
“Staff are working with the Pima County Attorney’s Office and Pima County Superior Court to address the matter. An internal review is underway,” the PCSD news release said.
The news release was sent to media outlets Tuesday afternoon, after detectives located Samaniego Sr.
Samaniego Sr. had recently been convicted of sex crimes##
Samaniego Sr. was arrested in 2024 in connection with a child sexual assault case.
In April of that year, several men approached a 13-year-old girl on a Sun Tran bus in midtown Tucson, according to a Tucson Police Department news release at the time. One of the men convinced the girl to visit his residence. The child ingested an “unknown substance,” lost consciousness and was assaulted, TPD said.
TPD issued arrest warrants for Samaniego Sr. and his son, David Manuel Samaniego Jr.
The younger Samaniego was taken into custody in July 2024. But his father eluded arrest for several months. In October of that year, Sonoran state police located Samaniego Sr. in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, ultimately transporting him back to the United States.
Recently, Samaniego Sr. stood trial and was convicted of multiple felony counts, including sexual conduct with a child and kidnapping. His sentencing is set for May 4, 2026.
The news of Samaniego Sr.’s erroneous release from jail comes as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos faces a litany of criticisms over his leadership.
The county’s top law enforcement officer has received continued scrutiny over his department's investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Last month, an Arizona Republic investigation found that Nanos’ resume misrepresented his work history in the El Paso Police Department. Later in March, the largest deputies’ union in the sheriff’s department voted in favor of Nanos’ resignation.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors is now mandating that Nanos deliver sworn testimony over his work history and leadership.
