BREAKING NEWS: Four San Jacinto City Council members, five others, indicted

Posted By jose.arballo On November 12, 2009 @ 3:13 pm In Courts, Crime, Local News, News | No Comments

Four members of the San Jacinto City Council, along with a member of the San Jacinto Unified School District Board, have been indicted on criminal charges, although the nature of the allegations will not be revealed until later in the afternoon.

Mayor Dale Stubblefield, Vice Mayor John Mansperger, councilmen James Ayres and James Potts were in Riverside Superior Court for a scheduled arraignment Thursday afternoon. Ayres’ wife, Nancy, who is a member of the San Jacinto school board, was also indicted and was in court.

A total number of nine people were indicted, including Byron Ellison, Stephen Holgate and Scott Shaull.

Some were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges, remaining free after posting $25,000 bail. Others requested the arraignment be continued until next month. Some dressed in suits and ties, while others were slacks and open dress shirts. They did not comment to the media.

Prosecutors in court declined to comment on the case, referring all questions to John Hall, spokesman for Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco. Hall declined to discuss the case and said a 4 p.m. news conference has been scheduled where details will be provided.

Investigators have been looking into the City Council’s business for months and recently raided several offices and homes. Officials have declined to state the nature of the investigation.

Ayres and his wife have been a fixture in San Jacinto Valley politics for years, with each serving on various boards.