It was reported the next week that the early retirement was likely triggered by a four-count indictment of filing false statements on three years' of tax returns for his business, Bee Line Bus Transportation.
This additional time is also needed to make arrangements, which include liquidation of assets to provide funds, so that, minimally, payment can be made on the IRS obligation/restitution prior to the sentencing date…” On 29 November Defense Counsel Michael Piccarreta and Assistant United States Attorney David R. Zipps stipulated to a second continued sentencing.
Piccarreta was defending a Maricopa County Superior Court 10-day vehicular murder case with a firm trial date from 15 February 2022.
[12] On 16 March 2022, Bee was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to six months in federal prison, and a year of supervised probation after his release.
Although records show Bee owns real estate with an assessed value of more than $3 million, his attorney described him as "indigent" and the judge waived a potential fine of $250,000, finding that he "does not have the ability to pay.
Baboquivari School District was the subject of a 2024 Arizona Auditor General Report that concluded it was not maintaining transportation records.
In short, the Commission had a plethora of facts sufficient to issue a sanction and even had an aggravating factor in Bee's failure to cooperate.
https://www.azcourts.gov/azcjc/PublicDecisions/2021.aspx Remarkably, the Commission states, in the above-noted order, that it is "...in the interests of justice to make this disposition public.