NATIONS
NATIONS CAPITAL. >>> PLUS PLAINES, REPEAT
THROUGH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA. >>> 12 NEWS AT 5:00, STARTS
NOW.
NOW.
NOW. >>>
NOW. >>> TONIGHT THE ARIZONA ELECTED
OFFICIAL, FACING HUMAN
SMUGGLING CHARGES, FOR AN
ADOPTION SCHEME.
ADOPTION SCHEME. >> HERE'S WHAT WE ARE TOLD BY
THE MARICOPA SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
HE IS NO LONGER IN JAIL, HE IS
IN FEDERAL CUSTODY.
HE WILL FACE FEDERAL CHARGES
FIRST.
FIRST.
FIRST. >>
FIRST. >> HE IS ACCUSED OF RUNNING AN
ADOPTION SKIN, THAT INVOLVE
BRINGING PREGNANT WOMEN FROM
THE MARSHALL ISLANDS TO GIVE
BIRTH.
BIRTH.
BIRTH. GOOD EVENING.
GOOD EVENING. >> THE CASE IS GETTING
COMPLICATED.
COMPLICATED. TONIGHT WE ARE CLEARING UP SOME
OF THAT CONFUSION WITH TEAM
COVERAGE.
COVERAGE.
COVERAGE. >> Reporter: THERE ARE TWO MAJOR
DEVELOPING PIECES OF THE STORY.
FIRST, FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TELL
ME THAT HE IS BEING HELD BY
U.S. MARSHALLS HERE IN VENUS,
PITIED HIS TRANSFER TO
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, WHERE
HE WILL FACE FEDERAL CHARGES.
THEY ARE HOME TO A COMMUNITY OF
MARSHALL ISLANDERS.
MARSHALL ISLANDERS. PROSECUTORS SAY THAT THESE
WOMEN WERE AT THE HEART OF HIS
BABY TRAFFIC AN.
A BABY WAS BORN LAST NIGHT, TO
ONE OF THOSE WOMEN.
THAT BABY'S FUTURE IS IN LIMBO.
>> 32 FELONY COUNTS.
>> U.S. MARSHALLS ARRESTED PAUL
PETERSON.
PETERSON.
PETERSON. >> Reporter: MARICOPA ASSESSOR
PAUL PETERSON, FACES 62 STATE
AND FEDERAL FELONY CHARGES.
HE IS ACCUSED OF RUNNING A BABY
TRAFFICKING BUSINESS, THE
RIPPED OFF TAXPAYERS.
PETERSON WAS TRANSFERRED FROM
STATE TO FEDERAL CUSTODY.
HE WILL BE SENT TO
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, TO FACE
FEDERAL CHARGES THEIR FIRST, AT
THE END OF THIS MONTH.
>> THE FIRST CHILD THAT WAS
AFFECTED BY HIS ARREST WAS BORN
LAST NIGHT.
LAST NIGHT. >> Reporter: A CHILD WAS BORN
THURSDAY NIGHT TO ONE OF THE
MANY WOMEN THAT HE APPARENTLY
FLEW TO THE U.S.-2 DELIVER
BABIES FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. THAT BABY AND THOSE PARENTS,
WHO PAID $40,000 ARE NOW IN
LIMBO.
LIMBO.
LIMBO. >>
LIMBO. >> THERE IS A WHOLE LOT THAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE
CHILD HAS A SECURE HOME.
>> Reporter: THIS WILL TRANSFER
ALL INFORMATION.
ALL INFORMATION. HE SAYS THAT IT WILL BE A
CHALLENGE TO GET INFORMATION
FROM HIS BUSINESS, NOW THAT HE
IS IN JAIL.
SOME OF THE ADOPTIONS MAY NOT
BE RESOLVED FOR A WELL.
HIS ADVICE TO ARIZONA FAMILIES
WAITING, GET AN ATTORNEY.
IN THE MEANTIME, PETERSON STILL
HAS NOT RESIGNED FROM HIS
$70,000 A YEAR JOB AS A COUNTY
ASSESSOR.
ASSESSOR.
ASSESSOR. >>> AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS
A VERY EMOTIONAL STORY FOR THE
FAMILIES INVOLVED.
FAMILIES INVOLVED. >> WE SPOKE TO A A COUPLE THAT
ADOPTED A BABY FROM HIM.
THEY FEEL THAT THIS HAS CAST A
SHADOW ON ALL OF THE CHILDREN
INVOLVED.
INVOLVED.
INVOLVED. >> Reporter: THEY SAID DO NOT
PASS JUDGMENT.
PASS JUDGMENT. THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT THIS
FAMILY HAS FOR ANYONE. THE
COUPLE WHO WANTS TO REMAIN
ANONYMOUS, ADOPTED THEIR SON
ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO.
THEY SAYS THE BIRTH MOM WAS
FROM THE MARSHALL ISLANDS WHO
CAME TO THE U.S. ABOUT 20 YEARS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. THEY
AGO. THEY SAY THE BIRTH MOM SPEAKS
ENGLISH AND WAS VERY AWARE AND
ENGAGED IN THE ENTIRE ADOPTION
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE AND MAKE
IT CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT
DEFENDING PETERSON.
DEFENDING PETERSON. BUT THEY DO, IN FACT, THEY SAY
THAT THEY CAN ONLY SPEAK TO
THEIR OWN ADOPTION EXPERIENCE.
THEY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT
THE CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THESE
ADOPTIONS ARE INNOCENT.
>> I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO
THINK THAT EVERY ADOPTION IS
BLACK-MARKET OR SOMETHING
CROOKED, OR THE BIRTH MOTHER
DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.
THIS WHOLE ORDEAL, THIS HAS
CAST A SHADOW OVER