Gabriel Chavez of Upland pleaded guilty to laundering $170,000 in bribes between a Baldwin Park city councilmember and two marijuana companies. The unidentified companies hoped to gain Baldwin Park marijuana permits.
Chavez was elected to the San Bernardino County Planning Commission in June, 2018, but resigned in November, 2018, after the FBI searched his home.
The bribed councilmember, Ricardo Pacheco, served on Baldwin Park’s council since 1997, and as mayor pro-tem in 2018, the plea agreement says.
He resigned in June, 2021.
Pacheco also agreed to a plea agreement related to his accepted bribes. He began soliciting bribe payments from companies seeking marijuana development agreements and
