Archive
Palm Springs Corruption Case Moved to Indio, Pougnet Faces Additional Charge
Riverside, CA
A Riverside County Superior Court judge has approved a venue change for all future hearings related to the bribery case involving former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and two Coachella Valley developers, who will make their next court appearances at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on June 30th.
The District Attorney’s Office has also submitted an amended complaint with an additional felony against Pougnet.
Pougnet, 53, is charged with 21 counts, including corruption by a public official and perjury. His co-defendants, 51-year-old Richard Hugh Meaney and 79-year-old John Elroy Wessman, are each charged with nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy.
The three are slated to jointly appear this afternoon before Riverside County Superior Court Samuel Diaz at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Charges were filed against the trio in February, and all have made court appearances since then. However, the District Attorney’s Office wanted to consolidate the men’s arraignments, as well as future hearings, to avoid scattered scheduling. Each defendant is free on $25,000 bail.
On Feb. 16, District Attorney Mike Hestrin detailed some of the findings from an 18-month investigation conducted by D.A.’s office personnel and FBI agents.
Hestrin alleged that money trails were uncovered going back to September 2012, with “very strong evidence” that Meaney and Wessman were buying the mayor’s votes.
According to the criminal complaint, money allegedly changed hands until the fall of 2014, as Pougnet’s term came to a close. He did not seek re-election. Hestrin alleged that bribes paid to the mayor totaled $375,000.
The investigation revealed that Meaney and Wessman had stakes in high- dollar development projects that required council approval, and the then-mayor became their point man for moving them to ratification, according to the prosecution.
Projects specifically listed in court documents include The Dakota, the Desert Fashion Plaza, The Morrison and Vivante.
Payments to Pougnet were allegedly drawn directly from accounts maintained by Meaney’s Union Abbey Co., along with Wessman Development Inc., according to court papers.
Hestrin said the public integrity and influence-peddling probe benefited from statements provided by several unnamed “whistleblowers.”
The county’s top prosecutor hoped that the case would underscore the need for “fair, open and honest government.”
If convicted, Pougnet could face up to 19 years in state prison, while Meaney and Wessmanm could each face a maximum 12 years behind bars.
By: News Staff
May 19, 2017
Latest Instagram Posts
Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇 #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
⚡️ TOP STORY: A man is recovering after he was struck by lightning. Firefighters battled a brush fire along Snow Creek Road, while another lightning strike in Chino Canyon sent a man to the hospital. If you hear thunder, stay indoors for at least 30 minutes after the last rumble. #PalmSprings #Lightning #FireSafety
🚨 Chasing that year-round “summer glow”? A social media tanning trend involving the unapproved peptide melanotan-2 is raising serious safety concerns. Dermatologists say safer sunless tanning options are available. ☀️ #YourHealthToday #SkinHealth #Melanotan2 #TanningSafety
Palm Springs firefighters responded Thursday to a report of a person struck by lightning in the Chino Canyon area. The person was transported to a hospital for medical treatment. Firefighters also responded to a palm tree fire in Chino Canyon that officials say was caused by an apparent lightning strike. NBC Palm Springs News Director David Reese is in the neighborhood tonight knocking on doors and trying to learn more about what happened. Did you see the lightning strike? Did you hear or see anything unusual? Do you know who was struck or have information that could help us understand what happened? We’d like to hear from you. Send us a DM here or contact NBC Palm Springs if you witnessed the incident or have information to share. #PalmSprings #ChinoCanyon #Lightning #PalmSpringsNews #NBCPalmSprings CoachellaValley BreakingNews
Fred Roggin’s response? Show us the receipts! #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
A $557k budget shortfall … so why do they need $11.3 million in new taxes? Are you voting Yes or No on Measure P? #therogginreport #measurep #localnews #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings
School board trustee wears “FAFO” shirt to court deposition. Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇🏽 #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
Estevan Figueroa of King’s Club Barbershop is giving back across the Coachella Valley — one haircut at a time. He and his team recently gave dozens of free haircuts to kids at the Boys and Girls Club in Cathedral City. Figueroa also provides clothing, essentials and encouragement to people in need. Inspired by lessons from his father, he’s now started a nonprofit to help even more people in the community. “Look good, feel good.” @barbercipactli Read the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com.
9 months. 5 deposition notices. 1 no-show. What is this official hiding under oath? Let us know what you think in the comments 👇 #therogginreport #jesusgonzalez #localnews #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry