Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the controversial figure known for his audacious immigration enforcement efforts, may be two weeks from sitting alongside the Latinos he has imprisoned.

Last Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Murray Snow scolded Arpaio and his aides for continually profiling Latinos three years after they were ordered to stop. Snow found at least 19 instances in which the Maricopa County lawman knowingly disobeyed court orders, acts that carry civil contempt charges and the possibility of jail time.

"The court finds that the defendants have engaged in multiple acts of misconducts, dishonesty, and bad faith with respects to the plaintiff class (Latinos) and the protections of its rights," Snow wrote in his 162-page ruling.

Snow added, "They have demonstrated a persistent disregard for the orders of this court, as well as an intention to violate and manipulate the laws and polices regulating their conduct as they pertain to their obligations to be fair, 'equitable and impartial' with respect to the interest of the plaintiff class."

Friday's proceedings were based on three violations, one being that Arpaio's office failed to turn over video evidence as Snow requested. Deputies continued detaining Latinos despite the judge telling them not to do so in his December 2011 preliminary injunction. Lastly, Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan was found in contempt for failing to collect evidence after the trial.

Snow set a May 31 date to discuss penalties. Then, he will decide whether the case escalates to criminal contempt.

Arpaio's Strategy

Arpaio never denied defying the judge's order, insisting it was due to miscommunication with his team rather than defiance. His attorneys issued a written statement disagreeing with many of the court's findings.

For his part, Arpaio tweeted "I never hide from the media, but my policy has been I don't talk about ongoing litigation."

The six-term sheriff openly allowed deputies to systematically target Latinos more than a year after Snow's initial ruling. In 2012, when Arpaio was up for re-election, he announced a "backup plan" to drop undocumented individuals off at Border Patrol facilities in lieu of taking them into the Sheriff's Office, thereby circumventing Snow's order and making him look tough in the eyes of Arizonans.

Arpaio even acknowledged that his attorneys hired private detectives to investigate Snow's wife, an incident he apologized for but redirected into cause for Snow to recuse himself.

The Cost to Taxpayers

In a statement, The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the judge's decision, vowing to end Arpaio's brazen tactics.

"His recalcitrance ends here," said Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project. "Strong remedies are needed to protect the community's rights, starting with internal investigations that root out and punish misconduct. Willingly or not, the sheriff will be made to comply with the law."

The case has already cost Arizona taxpayers upwards of $51 million over the last eight years, in addition to $13 million allotted for the next year; defending Arpaio could cost Maricopa County $125 million.

The Sheriff's Office also had to pick up the tab on court-ordered body cameras used to ensure police weren't making unconstitutional traffic stops.