California Councilman SENTENCED After FBI Found $62,900 Buried In His Backyard

A Baldwin Park city councilman told the FBI he had buried $62,900 in cash in his own backyard, in two different spots. Ricardo Pacheco served on the city council from 1997 to 2020. Federal prosecutors say he took about $108,000 in bribes: $37,900 tied to a police association contract, and $70,000 from a marijuana company that wanted city permits. He pleaded guilty to federal program bribery in June 2020. On August 24, 2026, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.

So how did a city council turn into a marketplace?

The buried cash: $83,145 seized by the FBI, $62,900 of it from his backyard The police contract vote in March 2018 and the $20,000 cash envelope at a coffee shop How a Compton councilman, Isaac Galvan, carried $70,000 in bribes for marijuana permits Blank-payee checks, a shell company and the money trail, according to prosecutors The 2021 Compton runoff decided by one vote, then reversed by a judge Pleas from a county planning commissioner, a city manager and a city attorney The sentences handed down in 2026 Pacheco and Galvan pleaded guilty. Allegations described in this video come from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and court filings.

News clips are used for commentary, criticism and reporting under fair use. Stock footage licensed from Envato.

Watch on YouTube