Story highlights Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio could face up to six months in jail when sentenced on October 5

The sheriff is accused of violating a court order in a racial profiling case by continuing patrols that targeted immigrants

(CNN) The lawman who once boasted he was "America's toughest sheriff," could find himself behind bars after a federal judge found him guilty of criminal contempt on Monday.

Former Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio was accused of violating a court order in a racial profiling case by continuing patrols targeting immigrants. US District Court Judge Susan Bolton handed down her verdict in court papers signed on Monday.

Bolton wrote that Arpaio knew of the court order and what it meant for his department's policy of detaining immigrants to turn them over to federal immigration authorities. But the evidence showed "a flagrant disregard" for the order, Bolton wrote.

"Not only did defendant abdicate responsibility, he announced to the world and to his subordinates that he was going to continue business as usual no matter who said otherwise," Bolton wrote.

Arpaio has contended the order wasn't clear and he didn't intend to violate it. Arpaio's defense attorney has argued that Arpaio's former attorney "dropped the ball" and didn't clearly explain the order or seek clarification from the federal judge who issued it.