A sweeping public corruption case tied to a former San Gabriel Valley elected official came to light after FBI agents uncovered $62,900 in cash hidden in his backyard, authorities said.
Ricardo Pacheco, 63, a former Baldwin Park councilman, was sentenced this week to 18 months in federal prison for his part in the bribery scheme, according to an announcement from the Department of Justice.
In addition to the prison term, Pacheco was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and forfeit nearly $220,000, federal prosecutors said.
The prosecution also involved Jacob Galvan, 39, a former Compton councilman, who received the same 18-month federal prison sentence and was ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution.
Federal officials said the two men carried out “corrupt acts while they were elected officials,” including exchanging tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for a police union’s backing and for help securing official city permits connected to marijuana cultivation.
Pacheco served on the Baldwin Park council from 1997 to 2020 and briefly served as mayor pro tem in 2018. He pleaded guilty to corruption in June 2020.
He admitted accepting thousands of dollars in bribes — including a $20,000 cash payment from a Baldwin Park police officer 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 said
“In exchange for the payments, Pacheco voted in favor of the Police Association contract in March 2018.” The contract was worth at least $4.4 million over three years.
Pacheco later became a federal informant, helping investigators take down a half-dozen figures tied to the marijuana industry and local government, the LA Times reported.
As part of his plea deal, Pacheco resigned from the council and forfeited $83,145 seized by the FBI — including the $62,900 buried in two spots in his backyard.
Galvan, who served 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,” according to the DOJ.
Galvan also admitted failing to report more than $500,000 in income to the IRS.
The corruption began taking shape in 2017, when Baldwin Park started seeking approval for marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and distribution within city limits, prosecutors said.
Pacheco began soliciting bribes from businesses seeking marijuana development agreements and permits, while Galvan acted as a “consultant” who connected marijuana operators with the councilman.
“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.”
Pacheco’s restitution hearing is scheduled for the coming weeks.