Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez pleads guilty to conflict of interest charge
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez pleaded guilty to one felony count of conflict of interest Tuesday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Hernandez was sentenced to two years of probation, one day in custody with credit for time served, and 200 hours of community service, along with fines and fees. The remaining eight counts were dismissed.
Statement from Hernandez via his attorney sent to News Channel 3:
"For two decades, serving the City of Coachella has been the honor of a lifetime. I have always put Coachella first. Today, I have made the difficult decision to bring this matter to a close and conclude my legal challenges in the best interest of my family.
Together, we delivered lasting results for Coachella. We transformed our city and strengthened our community. I will always be proud of our accomplishments.
Now, it is time to begin a new chapter as a private citizen. On a positive note, I will now have more time to devote to my family. This is especially true for my daughters as they pursue their education, as well as my wife, who has fought alongside me throughout 20 years of service."
According to the District Attorney's office, under California law, a conviction for violating Government Code section 1090 carries a lifetime prohibition from holding public office in the state. As a result of this conviction, Hernandez is permanently disqualified from serving in any public office in California.
The conviction stems from Hernandez’s involvement in votes and actions related to a contract between the City of Coachella and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ Housing First Program.
We're reaching out to the city of Coachella to see what's going to happen next for the mayor position. The city is set to hold it's regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, as well as a special meeting.
News Channel 3's Shay Lawson spoke with Megan Beaman-Jacinto, an attorney and former Coachella councilmember who testified in the trial.
"Today's guilty plea is a type of victory for the Coachella community and for the Eastern Coachella Valley. Many of us as community leaders and community members have known for years that there is corruption existing in our political leadership and that some of our political leaders have repeatedly violated our trust," Beaman-Jacinto said.
Hernandez also serves as the Chief of Staff for County Supervisor Manuel Perez, although he was placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest. La Quinta Councilmember Steve Sanchez, who is running against Perez in the June primary election, has called on the Supervisor to fire Hernandez.
"It's sad because people didn't trust politicians to make decisions for them, and we're held to a higher standard as we should be. Because our constituency, our voters say, hey, we trust you. I'm going to lend you my vote to represent me in this office. Don't abuse that. But what do you do? He abused that, that right, that privilege that his voters gave to him, right?" Sanchez said of Hernandez's conviction.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing developments on the future of the Coachella mayoral position.
