APACHE COUNTY— G.D. “Mac” McClendon is running as a Republican candidate for the Apache County Sheriff position and, according to court records, owes $767,885.75 stemming from a 2019 judgment. Many residents have also questioned his work, family, and community history; we have the answers.
Gregg Deefee McClendon also known as G.D. “Mac” McClendon is running for Apache County Sheriff in the November General Election. Not much was known about McClendon until he put his hat in the ring for the highly controversial position in the poorest county in Arizona. Apache County has had its fair share of negative coverage and this story adds to the present concerns for the people residing in that area.
The Judgment
McClendon is running against Cope Reynolds (Independent) and incumbent Joseph Dedman Jr.(Democrat).
All candidates are required to sign a financial disclosure statement. The financial disclosure statement covers the 12 months preceding the date of the statement. The candidate also verifies under penalty of perjury that they do not have any outstanding judgments against them of an aggregate of $1,000 or more that arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of campaign finance law, and as to all other qualifications.
ARS.16-312(D): Except in cases where the liability is being appealed, the filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a write-in candidate for state or local office if the person is liable for an aggregation of $1,000 or more in fines, penalties, late fees or administrative or civil judgments, including any interest or costs, in any combination, that have not been fully satisfied at the time of the attempted filing of the nomination paper and the liability arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of chapter 6 of this title.
McClendon is listed as the defendant in a trust described as the “Margaret P. McClendon Family Trust.” The contested court battle lasted two years and according to the San Diego Superior court documents, McClendon lost his trusteeship to his daughter, Jennafer Leonardi.
Leonardi said the reasons for McClendon’s removal as trustee ranged from false accounting to the courts and falsifying the will.
Leonardi was appointed successor trustee on September 11, 2019, and at that time, the San Diego Superior Court ruled she was to recover a $476,796.64 plus 10% interest surcharge from McClendon.
According to Leonardi, and court documents, she was able to recover $12,884.26 from a bank account. Leaving an outstanding balance. When Leonardi tried to collect the remainder of the judgment she said, ” My dad disappeared with the rest of the money and stole everything from me.”
Leonardi explained she began looking for McClendon and traced him to South Dakota and then to Apache County.
She filed the judgment in the Apache County Superior Court and elected to serve McClendon by Apache County Constable with the judgment on September 12.
To date, including a 10% yearly interest, McClendon owes Leonardi $767,885.75 per court records.
Mountain Daily Star reached out to McClendon for comment and he replied by email. He wrote, ” This judgement is confusing to me, I was never made aware of such judgment, I was never served any court summons at the time.”
McClendon went on to write that he did not know about the judgment in San Diego between he and Leonardi.
Leonardi said, “During the process, the judge ordered him to put a lump sum of money into a “blocked account”, he provided the judge with the documentation of this blocked account, knowing good and well he had no intentions of following the court order and soon transferred the money from the blocked account into an account at a different bank under his now estranged wife’s name, so I had no access to it.”
In several areas of the 2017- 2019 court case documents, McClendon appeared in court, and submitted statements to the Superior Court of San Diego regarding the trust per court records.
Court records show McClendon responded to the judgment on September 25 and also requested that the judgment proceedings be sealed because he serves on the Vernon Fire District board and is running for Apache County Sheriff.
McClendon also stated in his response that the press was after him because the press inquired about the judgment. He also noted about being on social security and undergoing back surgeries.
Despite this judgment being valid, McClendon remains on the November ballot and seems to continue garnering support from the Apache County voters. He recently received an endorsement from the White Mountain Firefighters Association.
Job History
McClendon commented that he had a “tenure” in law enforcement. Upon further review of his comments online and comments made in a local news story, it remained unclear about the service he described. Mountain Daily Star sent a FOIA request to the CA Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and according to the records obtained, McClendon served with the San Diego Police Department as a police officer recruit from 3/10/1980 to 9/25/1980.
The CA Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Records state that McClendon was discharged from duty on 9/25/1980.
In most U.S. states, a police officer or deputy must be P.O.S.T. certified in order to serve as a peace officer in a law enforcement compacity.
Leonardi said, ” I never saw my dad serve as a police officer while I was growing up, I know he worked for Frito Lay as a truck driver for 20 years.”
Frito Lay responded about McClendon’s employment, they explained that he was an employee there and requested his mailing address from our journalist.
Family History
One of the wives of McClendon and the mother of Leonardi, died in a car accident about a block from the family residence when Leonardi was an infant. Also, McClendon’s son passed away by drowning in the family pool.
“I was raised by my grandmother and my dad until I was 18 years old,” Leonardi said.
“Growing up with my dad, I endured mental, physical, and emotional abuse by his hand. I was lied to and manipulated into believing an image he wanted me to believe rather than the truth. I witnessed him physically and mentally abuse women he was in relationships with, even his own elderly mother,” continued Leonardi.
Leonardi wrote a post on X and addressed it to the people of Apache County.
Community Notes
A neighbor of McClendon’s explained, the last 2 years have been traumatic for her living in the warpath of McClendon. She described him as a malicious presence in her community and actively seeks ways to harass her through stalking, false complaints to the county, and letters in her mail threatening harm and promising retribution. She also explained that McClendon has had angry outbursts and verbal threats towards neighbors.
“He threatened to shoot my dogs if they got out,” she said.
The neighbor provided a Facebook message to Mountain Daily Star, that she said contributes to her belief that McClendon will use deadly force on her animals within a neighborhood setting and proof of his intimidation towards her.
The neighbor filed an Injunction Against Harassment against McClendon in Apache County Justice Court on June 10, 2024.
McClendon contested the Injunction and it was thrown out of court by Judge Gunnels.
Then, the neighbors dogs got out of her fence and the Apache County Sheriff’s Office was called about the dogs being “at large.” The neighbor was arrested for felony and misdemeanor charges, leading to a court battle and fines.
McClendon also wrote on Apache County Republicans Facebook page that he uncovered embezzlement and misapplication of funds with the Concho Community Assistance Center and turned the information over to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. He wrote about personally keeping the food bank operational. He also stated that he worked closely with the DPS GIITEM Unit to rid the Concho/Vernon area of an outlaw biker enterprise.
The Apache County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said, “The Sheriff’s office has no knowledge of McClendon’s involvement in the biker gang case, as the case was initiated by ACSO and GIITEM was brought in to assist. There was no mention of McClendon’s name unless he acted as a confidential informant for DPS. ACSO has had no contact with him and never heard his name mentioned.” The ACSO Spokesperson continued, ” We also have no knowledge of his activity with the Food Bank.”
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Interview exchanges between our journalists and McClendon weren’t always pleasant. Our journalists endured name calling and intimidation by McClendon. He used language like “you’re a nut job” and avoided in person interviews at public candidate forums. He also sent intimidating emails to one of our journalists.