The chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors indicated on Friday that the board could move to suspend indicted county assessor Paul Petersen, who faces dozens of charges in conjunction with an allegedly illegal adoption ring involving women from the Marshall Islands. Petersen, an attorney who specializes in adoptions, faces charges from Arizona, Utah and federal prosecutors in Arkansas. Once that audit is finished, Gates said the board can determine its next step, including whether to try to remove Petersen from office. Though statute does not appear to give the supervisors the power to remove Petersen permanently, Gates noted that state law allows them to temporarily suspend him. That law permits county supervisors to suspend their assessors and treasurers for up to 120 days for misuse of public funds or neglect of duty.