Ex-Baldwin Park Councilman Sentenced for $62,900 Backyard Cash and Bribery Scheme

Ricardo Pacheco, former Baldwin Park councilman, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after FBI agents found $62,900 buried in his backyard.

Former California Councilman Gets 18 Months for Bribery Tied to Marijuana Permits

A former San Gabriel Valley politician was sentenced this week to 18 months in federal prison after the FBI uncovered $62,900 in cash buried in two spots in his backyard, NY Post Metro reports.

Ricardo Pacheco, 63, who served on the Baldwin Park City Council from 1997 to 2020, was also fined $10,000 and ordered to forfeit nearly $220,000, according to the Department of Justice.

The case ensnared a second official: former Compton councilman Jacob Galvan, 39, received an identical 18-month federal prison sentence and was ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution.

The DOJ said both men engaged in "corrupt acts while they were elected officials, including the payment and acceptance of tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for a police union's support and to obtain official city permits for marijuana cultivation."

Undercover FBI payments and a police union contract

Pacheco pleaded guilty to corruption in June 2020. He admitted accepting a $20,000 cash payment from a Baldwin Park police officer who was secretly working with the FBI. Between January and October 2018, Pacheco solicited and received $37,900 from the undercover officer.

"The police officer who made the payments did so at the direction of the FBI after another officer and he approached the FBI and agreed to assist in its ongoing corruption investigation," the DOJ stated.

In exchange for those payments, Pacheco voted in favor of a Police Association contract in March 2018 — a deal worth at least $4.4 million over three years.

As part of his plea agreement, Pacheco resigned from the council and forfeited $83,145 seized by federal agents, including the $62,900 recovered from his backyard. He also briefly served as mayor pro tem in 2018.

Marijuana industry corruption dating to 2017

Prosecutors said the scheme began taking shape in 2017, when Baldwin Park started pursuing approval for marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution within city limits.

Pacheco solicited bribes from businesses seeking marijuana development agreements and permits. Galvan served as a self-described "consultant," connecting marijuana operators with the councilman in exchange for payment.

"In exchange for the illicit payments, Pacheco agreed to use his position in city government to assist the companies with obtaining marijuana permits, including voting in their favor," the DOJ said.

Galvan, who sat on the Compton council from 2013 to 2022, admitted paying Pacheco $70,000 in bribes in exchange for his "votes and support for commercial marijuana permits." He also admitted failing to report more than $500,000 in income to the IRS.

Pacheco turned federal informant

Following his guilty plea, Pacheco cooperated with federal investigators, helping authorities take down roughly six figures connected to the marijuana industry and local government, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Pacheco's restitution hearing is scheduled for the coming weeks.

Source: NY Post Metro