A former high-ranking Arizona prosecutor faces a spectacular fall from grace, charged with felony theft after she allegedly refused to return a mistakenly delivered package containing £40,000 worth of jewellery and sold a diamond bracelet from the haul online.
The Costly Delivery and Repeated Denials
Vanessa Dailey, 49, professionally known as Vanessa Hickman, received the expensive parcel at her Phoenix condominium complex on May 31. The package was intended for one of her neighbours, who was expecting a delivery from a friend in Florida.
According to court records, US Postal inspectors visited Dailey's home nine separate times in an attempt to retrieve the misdirected items. Investigators stated that the former division chief at the Arizona Attorney General's Office was unwilling to hand over the costly accessories to their rightful owner.
Dailey allegedly told authorities that she operates an online store on the web retailer Poshmark, leading to a frequent influx of packages being delivered to and shipped from her residence.
The Suspicious Return and Missing Bracelet
Approximately a month after first receiving the package, Dailey finally relented and returned it. However, postal authorities found the return highly suspicious.
Inspectors noted excessive tape on the package, despite Dailey's claim that she had never opened it. When the intended recipient finally received the parcel, they made a distressing discovery: a £2,400 diamond bracelet from Costco was missing.
Authorities reviewed photos that indicated Dailey had removed a label from the package, according to court filings. This discovery prompted a deeper investigation into the former prosecutor's activities.
Online Sale and Professional Consequences
Investigators uncovered that Dailey had allegedly sold an identical wrist piece on Poshmark about ten days before returning the package. She had initially listed the item for £1,947 but ultimately sold it for just £750.
In court documents, investigators noted that this dramatic undervaluing is consistent with the sale of stolen property.
As the damaging accusations emerged, Dailey was placed on leave from her top position at the Attorney General's office on November 13. US Postal Service inspectors arrested her on November 19 in connection with the stolen jewellery. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed she was released from custody the following day.
On Monday, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office formally charged the disgraced prosecutor with one count of felony theft. While she currently faces only one charge, a Postal Inspection Service report recommended she also be charged with the more serious felony of trafficking in stolen property.
A Pattern of Alleged Misconduct
This is not the first time Dailey has faced allegations of wrongdoing. She previously worked as the City of Peoria's attorney but took a leave of absence in January 2023.
The city has launched a lawsuit against her, alleging she wrongfully accepted £139,000 in severance funds from taxpayers' pockets. Dailey has fiercely denied any wrongdoing and filed a countersuit against Peoria last year, though the Maricopa County Superior Court dismissed her case, allowing the ongoing lawsuit to proceed.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes confirmed that Dailey has stepped away from her high-ranking position. The spokesperson stated: 'Attorney General Mayes believes that every individual is entitled to due process, but also that justice must be served. The allegations against Ms Hickman [Dailey] are serious for any state employee, particularly someone in a leadership position.'
Dailey has declined to comment on the situation, refusing to speak when an AZ Family reporter visited her condominium.
