Former Temple City Mayor Sentenced to Prison

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June 23, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – Former Temple City Mayor Cathe Wilson was sentenced today to four years in state prison following her conviction last month of bribery and perjury charges involving a development in the San Gabriel Valley city.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett of the Public Integrity Division said the Los Angeles Superior Court Superior Court Judge Alex Ricciardulli sentenced the 78-year-old mayor and ordered her to pay $10,000 in restitution.

Wilson was convicted May 2 of three counts of asking for or receiving a bribe and three counts of perjury. The perjury charges involved one count of lying to the Los Angeles County Grand Jury in 2008 and two counts of submitting false material in Fair Political Practices reports.

Wilson, her campaign manager and another former Temple Mayor, Judy Wong, were indicted in June 2009 on charges that cash bribes were demanded and received in 2007 from developer Randy Wang for his Temple City Piazza project. Another council member, David Capra, was charged separately.

Wong, 54, pleaded no contest and was sentenced last year to 16 months in state prison. Scott Carwile, 52, Wilson’s campaign manager, pleaded guilty to a perjury count and was sentenced May 24 to three years probation and one day in county jail. Capra pleaded no contest in 2009 to a misdemeanor charge of failure to report a campaign contribution and agreed to resign from the council.

Prosecutors said earlier that officials from Temple City cooperated with the Public Integrity Division in its investigation.

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Former Vernon City Administrator Pleads in Public Corruption Case

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May 26, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – The City of Vernon’s former city administrator pleaded guilty today to misappropriation of public funds and was ordered to repay $60,000 to the city, the District Attorney’s office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett with the Public Integrity Division said Bruce Malkenhorst Sr., 76, pleaded guilty to taking the city money for personal use. In exchange for his plea, a second count of misappropriation of public funds was dismissed.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy also sentenced Malkenhorst to three years formal probation and fined him $10,000 in addition to ordering to pay full restitution to the city.

From Feb. 15, 2000, to June 1, 2005, Hassett said Malkenhorst had the City of Vernon illegally reimburse him a total of $60,000 that included eight $99 political contributions and various personal expenses, such as golf, massages, a personal trainer and a home security system.

Malkenhorst’s plea today completes a case that began in April 2005 when PID launched an investigation into allegations of corruption in the city. Convicted of voter fraud and other charges were Vernon’s longtime mayor, Leonis Malburg, his wife and their son.

Even though all three registered to vote in Vernon, the judge said none of the Malburg’s lived there. While maintaining apartments on Leonis Boulevard and 50th Street in Vernon, the family actually lived in Hancock Park.

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Former Temple City Mayor Convicted in Bribery, Perjury Case

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May 2, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – A former Temple City mayor was convicted of bribery and perjury charges today in connection with a development in the San Gabriel Valley city four years ago.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett of the Public Integrity Division said the Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated about an hour before convicting Cathe Wilson, 78, of three counts of asking for or receiving a bribe and three counts of perjury. The perjury charges involved one count of lying to the Los Angeles County Grand Jury in 2008 and two counts of submitting false material in Fair Political Practices reports.

Superior Court Judge Alex Ricciardulli, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for June 2. The defendant, who is not in custody, faces a possible state prison term of up to nine years. Sentencing is in the hands of the court, however, and the judge asked for a pre-sentencing report.

Wilson, her campaign manager and another former Temple Mayor, Judy Wong, were indicted in June 2009 on charges that cash bribes were demanded and received from developer Randy Wang for his Temple City Piazza project. Another council member, David Capra, was charged separately.

Wong, 54, pleaded no contest and was sentenced last year to 16 months in state prison. Scott Carwile, 52, Wilson’s campaign manager, pleaded guilty to a perjury count and is scheduled to be sentenced May 24. Capra pleaded no contest in 2009 to a misdemeanor charge of failure to report a campaign contribution and agreed to resign from the council.

Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman, who prosecuted the case with Hassett, said shortly after the indictment that officials from Temple City cooperated with the Public Integrity Division in its investigation.

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Former Pico Rivera City Councilman Sentenced

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April 20, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles Superior Court judge today issued an order prohibiting former Pico Rivera City Councilman Ronald Beilke from running for or holding public office for four years, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

Judge Lisa Lench additionally sentenced Beilke to three years of probation and 30 days of community service. The defendant must also pay a $1,000 fine.

Beilke was convicted on Jan. 20 of two misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest for voting on contracts between the City of Pico Rivera and two private businesses, All American Asphalt and Mobility Solutions.

Evidence presented at trial revealed that the work stipulated by the contracts could foreseeably benefit Beilke’s Wienerschnitzel franchise in Pico Rivera.

Deputy District Attorney Sandi Roth of the Public Integrity Division prosecuted the case.

Beilke was found not guilty of one count of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, one a misdemeanor, the other a felony.

The contract between the City of Pico Rivera and All American Asphalt was for paving of the intersection within 500 feet of Beilke’s restaurant. The work included decorative, colored concrete, the prosecutor said.

The contract with Mobility Solutions was for the design of a street light, within 500 feet of Beilke’s business, which allowed traffic to flow freely into the shopping center directly connected to his restaurant.

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Former Pico Rivera City Councilman Convicted of Conflict of Interest

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January 20, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – Former Pico Rivera City Councilman Ronald Beilke today was convicted of conflict of interest, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Sandi Roth of the Public Integrity Division said Beilke was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest for voting on contracts between the City of Pico Rivera and two private businesses, All American Asphalt and Mobility Solutions.

The work stipulated by the contracts benefited Beilke’s Wienerschnitzel franchise in Pico Rivera, the prosecutor said.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa Lench ordered Beilke to return for sentencing on Feb. 18, 2011 in Department 132 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Jurors, who deliberated for two days, found Beilke not guilty of one count of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, one a misdemeanor, the other a felony.

The contract between the City of Pico Rivera and All American Asphalt was for paving of the intersection within 500 feet of Beilke’s restaurant. The work included decorative, colored concrete, the prosecutor said.

The contract with Mobility Solutions was for the design of a street light, within 500 feet of Beilke’s business, which allowed traffic to flow freely into the shopping center directly connected to his restaurant.

Beilke faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail. At the time of sentencing, the judge could also issue an order prohibiting Beilke from running for or holding public office for four years.

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Former Pico Rivera City Councilman Charged with Perjury, Other Counts

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February 3, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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LOS ANGELES – Former Pico Rivera City Councilman Ronald Beilke appeared in court today on more than half a dozen counts, including perjury and conflict of interest.

Deputy District Attorney Sandi Roth of the Public Integrity Division said Beilke, 50 (dob 11/05/59), is charged with one felony count each of perjury and conflict of interest. He also is charged with four misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest and two misdemeanor counts of accepting a gift in excess of the legal value.

Beilke is charged in case No. BA367476. His arraignment was postponed until March 8 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. The defendant was charged yesterday in a felony complaint for arrest warrant.

Prosecutors allege that in his capacity as councilman, between 2006 and 2008, Beilke voted to approve three contracts for construction work in an intersection immediately adjacent from his privately owned Weinerschnizel franchise.

At the time of voting on these contracts, the defendant also was allegedly engaged in negotiations with the developer of the adjacent commercial property where he was going to lease space to open a coffee shop.

Beilke also voted to approve a contract between the City of PicoRivera and Krikorian Movie Theaters while purportedly accepting gifted movie tickets from the company.

In 2008, Beilke allegedly accepted movie tickets valued at more than $3,400 from Krikorian Theater and then underestimated the value of the gift on his Statement of Economic Interest which he certified under penalty of perjury.

Beilke was elected to serve on the Pico Rivera City Council in 2005. His four-year term concluded last November when he lost his bid for re-election.

If convicted of all counts, Beilke faces a maximum term of seven years, eight months in state prison.

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Pico Rivera Man Pleads Guilty to Murder, Attempted Murder

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August 22, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

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NORWALK – A 21-year-old Pico Rivera man accused of fatally stabbing one woman and seriously wounding another pleaded guilty today, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Donna M. Mc Clay, of the Norwalk Branch Office, said Bryan Galvan pleaded guilty to the charges of second-degree murder of Jessica Jackie Villanueva and attempted premeditated murder of Jessica Garcia before Norwalk Superior Court Commissioner Michael L. Schuur.

As part of a negotiated settlement, the murder count had been amended to charge Galvan with second-degree murder. Additionally, he admitted allegations that, while committing these crimes, he used a knife and that the surviving victim suffered great bodily injury.

Galvan had been charged with murder for the stabbing death of 20-year-old Villanueva and attempted, premeditated murder for stabbing and seriously injuring Garcia, the second victim on Dec. 28, 2007.

Galvan inflicted multiple stab wounds on both women as they sat in a friend’s car after leaving his residence in Pico Rivera. Despite serious injuries, Garcia survived. Villanueva died as a result of numerous stab wounds to her neck and chest.

Galvan is expected to be sentenced to 16 years to life in prison on Sept. 9.

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Chuck Fuentes: Our Political City Manager

Controversial and highly UNqualified City Manager Chuck Fuentes finally gets the scrutiny he deserves.  The SGVT’s Leftovers blog revisits an article ran by the Whittier Daily News.

Fuentes was put in place by Cong. Grace Napolitano’s city hall cronies in a move to control Pico Rivera and launch her (up to now) unsuccessful moves to take the Assembly and Senate seats from the Calderons.

Fuentes is married to Linda Unruh, the daughter of “Big Daddy” polician Jesse M. Unruh.

Pico Rivera City Manager Charles Fuentes

Leftovers Column: When city managers get political

By Jennifer McLain on July 28, 2008 7:43 AM |  Comments (13)

Leftovers Column: Fuentes hit for political approach
By Tania Chatila and Jennifer McLain, Staff Writers
Article Launched: 07/27/2008 09:29:44 PM PDT

It seems Pico Rivera’s city manager may have committed the cardinal sin in his profession: playing politics.

Of course, that depends on who you ask.

Charles “Chuck” Fuentes says he’s just one of the few city managers who actually admit to politicking.

“Am I more political? I’m the first one to say yes, and that’s a plus,” Fuentes said in an article that ran a week ago in the Whittier Daily News. “Every city manager does what he or she has to do to take care of his majority.”

But if you bring the issue up before ethicists at the state and national levels, they say Fuentes – who worked on President Jimmy Carter’s re-election campaign and

eventually became chief of staff for Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs – has got it all wrong.

After all, the job of a city manager is to work for all council members, not just the majority, experts said.

And if Fuentes were to read the code of ethics that the members of the International City Manager’s Association follow, he would see that endorsing candidates – whether on the local or national level – is a big no-no, said Bill Garrett, executive director of the California City Management Foundation.

“The code of ethics says that you don’t play favorites, and don’t involve yourself in the political game,” Garrett said.

By working for all members of the council, the city manager is completing the obligation to serve the interest of the com-

munity, said Martha Perego, ICMA’s ethics director.

“When you have city managers that are more concerned about protecting their jobs and counting votes, then you need to think: Are they serving the long-term interest of the community?” Perego said.

Fuentes is not a member of the ICMA, Perego said.

Nearly 100 years ago, the council-city manager system was formed as a way to keep City Hall staff – the brains behind the requests and wills of council members – from being politicized, according to Garrett.

“It has been set to try to make sure that the manager responds from a professional standpoint, not from a political one,” he said.

That hasn’t always been the case.

South Gate’s former elected city treasurer Albert Robles was convicted of soliciting more than $1.8 million in bribes from bidders on municipal contracts.

According to the Los Angeles Times, three of Robles’ supporters formed a new majority on the City Council in 2001.

With their votes, Robles influenced ranks of city department managers, firing those who refused to do his bidding and promoting those who would, even though his official title granted him no such authority, according to the Times article.

“South Gate is a good example of what can happen when a City Council hires someone purely from a political background, and then tells them, `We want you to run this thing the way we want you to run it.”‘

Of course, some argue politics is inevitable when you are working for, well, politicians.

“Every city manager has to deal with the reality that there is a political component to the job,” said Rosemead City Manager Oliver Chi. “But we must continue to strive in all ways to remain apolitical in our efforts to serve every single council member.”

jennifer.mclain@sgvn.com

tania.chatila@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2477, 2109

http://www.insidesocal.com/sgvgov

 

Jesse M. Unruh

Four Charged in Fatal Shooting of Pico Rivera Woman

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August 17, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

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WHITTIER – Four people were charged today with murder and other charges in the Aug. 10 fatal shooting of a woman who interrupted someone spraying graffiti on a wall, the District Attorney’s office announced.

Angel Chris Rojas, 16 (dob 10-30-90), is the alleged shooter who fired into a car driven by Maria Hicks, striking and killing her, said Deputy District Attorney Mike Enomoto with the Hardcore Gang Division.

Rojas is charged in case No. VA102116 along with Cesar Lopez, 19 (dob 11-25-87); Jennifer Ann Tafolla (CQ), 19 (dob 1-3-88); and Richard Daniel Rolon, 21 (dob 7-10-86). The four are each charged with one count of murder, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, conspiracy and street terrorism. In addition, Rojas is charged with one felony count of unlawful firearm activity and the special allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm. All four also are charged with the special allegation that they committed the murder to further a criminal street gang.

Rojas, Lopez and Tafolla are scheduled to be arraigned sometime after 1:30 p.m. in Whittier Superior Court, Div. 1. All three are being held on $4 million bail each.

Rolon is not in custody, and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.

Hicks was shot about 10 p.m. Friday after she flashed her vehicle
lights and honked her horn at a someone she saw painting graffiti on a wall at San Gabriel River Parkway and Woodford Street. Rojas, who allegedly was waiting in a car with accomplices, jumped out and opened fire, striking and killing Hicks.

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Transient Charged with Arson of Pico Rivera Bridge

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November 8, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

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WHITTIER – A 28-year-old transient was charged with one count of arson today for allegedly starting a fire that destroyed a heavily traveled bridge on Beverly Boulevard in Pico Rivera last week, the District Attorney’s office announced.

Nelson Gastelum, (dob 5-5-77), is scheduled to be arraigned some time today in Whittier Superior Court, Division 5. He is charged in case No. VA092272, said Deputy District Attorney Deborah Passow, deputy in charge of the Whittier office.

Gastelum was allegedly cooking food under the bridge on Nov. 1 when the fire spread to the bridge and destroyed it. Gastelum, who was arrested Friday following an investigation, is being held on $20,000 bail. If convicted he faces up to three years in state prison.

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