Six More Indictments In San Jacinto Corruption Case
RIVERSIDE -Prosecutors announced charges today against six more people in an alleged money laundering and political corruption case stemming from San Jacinto City Councilman James Ayres’ 65th Assembly District bid.
The new defendants are Shanda Lynn Mansperger, 34, of San Jacinto; Christopher Ray Mason, 25, of San Jacinto; Marcia Lynn Matthews, 43, of Hemet; Kirk William Matthews, 50, of Hemet; Carol Ann Gehrum, 68, of San Jacinto; and John Richard Gehrum, 40, of Hemet.
They face a variety of counts, including conspiracy to make campaign contributions in a false name, making a campaign contribution under a false name, making a campaign contribution as an intermediary and perjury for lying to the grand jury.
“Money laundering can only occur when people agree to launder money through their personal accounts,” said Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco.
According to the complaint, each of the defendants made contributions in November 2007 to Ayres’ election campaign.
The contributions were made 18 months after Ayres was defeated in the 2006 Republican primary, according to John Hall, information officer for the District Attorney’s Office.
The campaign committee used the money allegedly contributed by the latest defendants to repay Ayres for his loans to the committee, Hall said.
The six defendants allegedly made cash deposits into their personal bank accounts nearly equal to their contributions to the Ayres campaign committee within days of writing checks to the committee.
The six are also charged with lying in testimony to the grand jury and denying they were reimbursed for their contributions.
Last month, the grand jury handed down a 155-count indictment against nine others allegedly involved in the corruption scheme. Four of the five current San Jacinto City Council members, including Ayres, were among the nine.
