Sentencing delayed for ex-transit boss
Stephen Banta’s legal punishment won’t be known for two weeks as the former Valley Metro chief executive sought in Maricopa County Superior Court Wednesday to delay his sentencing until Nov. 20.
No reason was given for the delay. Banta, his attorney and the Attorney General’s Office declined to comment.
Banta pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent schemes and practices, a Class 5 felony, in September. His plea called for Banta to be put on probation.
Banta’s appearance Wednesday before Judge Warren Granville came almost three years after he resigned from Valley Metro following an Arizona Republic investigation into questionable expenses he incurred while running bus and light-rail systems. The Attorney General’s Office began investigating Banta after The Republic in November 2015 found he routinely flew first class, stayed in a nearly $600a-night hotel room and bought alcohol for himself and guests at restaurants while running the transit system.
The Republic obtained Valley Metro documents through the state’s Public Records Law and found that Banta on several occasions was reimbursed for dinners up to $470 in which the people he claimed to have entertained did not attend.
His expense and credit-card records show he flew first class on eight of the 11 trips he took while representing Valley Metro on business and at conferences in places such as Munich, Germany, and Milan, Italy.
The auditor general, working with the attorney general, found Banta misused his position at Valley Metro to receive $32,491 in expenses for personal travel and dining.