Update: CVUSD candidates respond

SECOND STORY UPDATE: Tuesday morning, November 8th, CVUSD school board candidate Roel Sanchez responded to our original report, with an email sent to CBS Local 2. In the email, Sanchez wrote: “For your information, I own property outside the Coachella Valley. My primary residence has always been located at 50070 Kenmore St. Coachella CA. 92236. It continues to be my primary residence. I receive all of my correspondence there at the Kenmore address. I continue to care for my mother who also resides there.”

STORY UPDATE: Tuesday morning, November 8th, CVUSD school board candidate Francisco Becerra responded to our original report, with an email sent to CBS Local 2. In the email, Becerra wrote, “To say I don’t live in the district is a totally false accusation. Here is a copy of my lease.”

An image of the lease document Mr. Becerra sent to us is now included in this report.

The document reads: “This agreement stipulates that Mr. Francisco Becerra, an employee at Athony Vineyards, can reside on our property at 70-999 Polk Street, Thermal, California for the duration of his tenure with our company. He is to maintain his living quarters in a manner consistent with the standards set forth by our company at no cost to him.”

ORIGINAL REPORT:

There are questions about two candidates running for the school board in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

It appears the candidates used false addresses when filing their 501 forms with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.

The required forms are their “Candidate Intention Statements”.

Francisco “Frank” Becerra is running to represent “area 3” for the district, and Roel “Rollie” Sanchez is running to represent “area 1”.

But, it appears Becerra does not live in “area 3”, and it appears Sanchez does not live in “area 1”.

Candidates running for the school board are required to live in the areas they want to represent.

501 forms filed by all candidates running for the school district board are posted on the Riverside County election website, “VoteInfo.net”, and home addresses listed by all candidates are redacted.

But the Riverside County Registrar of voters confirmed the addresses used by candidates Becerra and Sanchez.

Frank Becerra listed his address as 70-999 Polk Street in Thermal.

The property is farmland owned by “Anthony Vineyards”.

The company could not confirm Becerra lives on the property.

Becerra’s parents live on Middleton Street in Thermal, and over the phone, Becerra’s mother Matilda said her son lives “near” her.

Francisco Becerra has not responded to our requests for an on-camera interview to question him about the home address he used.

The address used by candidate Roel Sanchez is 50070 Kenmore Street in Coachella.

The property is registered to Sanchez’s Mother.

A neighbor, who says he grew up with Roel, told us he does not live with his mother.

Records show Roel Sanchez’s wife owns a home inside the gated community, “Bella Vista at Shadow Hills” in Indio.

We also requested an on-camera interview with Sanchez, but he turned us down, citing the “increasing demands” of his campaign.

The Superintendent of the Coachella Valley Unified School District, Dr. Daryl Adams, also turned down a request to comment on camera.

A representative for the California Fair Political Practices Commission referred us to the Riverside County District Attorney.

We shared the information regarding candidates Becerra and Sanchez, and the apparent discrepancies on their 501 forms with the district attorney’s office, and a representative would not confirm or deny that the office is looking into the matter.

The representative would not say what action the district attorney might take if the candidates are elected.