Pubdate: Tue, 31 Jul 2012
Source: Whittier Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/497
Author: Sandra T. Molina

FORMER SANTA FE SPRINGS COUNCILMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBERY

LOS ANGELES - Former Santa Fe Springs Councilman Joseph Serrano
pleaded guilty Monday to a federal bribery charge for soliciting money
from an owner of a medical marijuana dispensary.

"He pleaded guilty pursuant to the plea agreement he made with the
U.S. Attorney a few weeks ago," Justice Department Spokesman Thom
Mrozek said.

Serrano, 62, will be sentenced before the same judge, Stephen V.
Wilson, on Oct. 15. in U.S. District Court.

Serrano admitted to soliciting $11,500 in bribes from the onetime
owner of a medical marijuana dispensary, according to court documents.

Serrano, whose resignation from the City Council becomes effective
today, faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.

Officials said they expect the prison time and fine to be
reduced.

At the time the bribes occurred, between October 2010 and September
2011, Serrano was serving as mayor and sitting on an ad hoc committee
evaluating medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Santa Fe Springs.

"(Serrano) was telling the dispensary operator that if he was paying
him, (Serrano) would have his back. He would provide him with inside
information and he would do his best to swing other votes," said
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Carter of the public corruption and
civil rights section of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The dispensary owner became an FBI informant and wiretapped several
conversations with Serrano at various restaurants in Santa Fe Springs
and La Mirada.

"I'm going to do everything I can," Serrano assured the informant
during a conversation at an IHOP in La Mirada. "I will fight for you
'til the end. I'm one vote. But I have to be able to - you have to be
able to trust me ... to work those other people."

Because the city had no moratorium in place, the number of
dispensaries grew in a very short time from less than a half-dozen to
nearly 20, according to city records.

Eventually, Serrano explained to the FBI informant that the "city had
to 'do something' because the city has 'so many' marijuana
dispensaries," according to the plea agreement.

Today, there are no dispensaries operating in the city, according to
Santa Fe Springs Director of Public Services Dino Torres.
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