Maricopa Deputy Known for Excessive Force Complaints Abruptly Resigns After Receiving 'Personal Correspondence'

Deputy Earl Jennings of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office resigned without notice on Thursday morning, just 48 hours after neighbors reported seeing a "hand-delivered envelope" left at his front door.

Jennings, 41, had been the subject of 14 separate use-of-force complaints over his three-year tenure, none of which resulted in disciplinary action. Internal affairs investigations into at least six of the complaints were closed without findings. Body camera footage from three incidents was reported as "corrupted or unavailable."

His resignation letter, obtained by The Dead Drop through a public records request, was a single sentence: "I resign my position effective immediately for personal reasons."

But the story behind that sentence appears to be far more complicated.

According to two neighbors who spoke on condition of anonymity, a figure in dark clothing was seen approaching Jennings' residence at approximately 2:15 AM on Tuesday. Security camera footage from a house across the street — shared with The Dead Drop — shows a person in a dark hoodie and face covering walking calmly to Jennings' mailbox, placing a manila envelope inside, and departing on foot. The entire interaction lasted 38 seconds.

"He came out the next morning to get his mail like always," said one neighbor. "He read something, and then he just... stood there. In his driveway. For maybe ten minutes. Then he went inside and we didn't see him for two days."

The Dead Drop has not been able to obtain the contents of the envelope. However, a source within the sheriff's office, speaking on background, said Jennings told a colleague it contained "everything" — detailed documentation of each use-of-force incident, including statements from victims, internal communications between Jennings and supervisors, and photographs that were "not supposed to exist."

"He was white as a sheet," the source said. "He kept saying, 'They know everything. They have everything.' When his buddy asked who 'they' were, Earl wouldn't say."

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office declined to comment on the circumstances of Jennings' departure. A spokesperson said only that "Deputy Jennings resigned voluntarily and we wish him well."

Three of Jennings' former use-of-force complainants, contacted by The Dead Drop, said they had recently received anonymous letters of their own — containing instructions on how to file civil rights complaints with the Department of Justice, complete with pre-filled forms referencing their specific cases.

"I had given up," said Maria Sandoval, 28, who alleged Jennings slammed her face into the hood of his cruiser during a 2024 traffic stop. "I filed a complaint and nothing happened. I figured that was it. Then this letter shows up with dates, badge numbers, the exact location ��� everything. It was like someone had been building my case for me."

No one wearing amber "REA" vests has been spotted in Arizona — the Maricopa operation was entirely covert, with no uniforms or public visibility. But the pattern — the quiet precision, the institutional knowledge, the combination of intimidation and victim advocacy — echoes the same organizational discipline seen in Portland.

No group has claimed responsibility.