Image via WikipediaLOS ANGELES – A former Temple City mayor was convicted of bribery and perjury charges today in connection with a development in the San Gabriel Valley city four years ago.Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett of the Public Integrity Division said the Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated about an hour before convicting Cathe Wilson, 78, of three counts of asking for or receiving a bribe and three counts of perjury. The perjury charges involved one count of lying to the Los Angeles County Grand Jury in 2008 and two counts of submitting false material in Fair Political Practices reports.
Superior Court Judge Alex Ricciardulli, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for June 2. The defendant, who is not in custody, faces a possible state prison term of up to nine years. Sentencing is in the hands of the court, however, and the judge asked for a pre-sentencing report.
Wilson, her campaign manager and another former Temple Mayor, Judy Wong, were indicted in June 2009 on charges that cash bribes were demanded and received from developer Randy Wang for his Temple City Piazza project. Another council member, David Capra, was charged separately.
Wong, 54, pleaded no contest and was sentenced last year to 16 months in state prison. Scott Carwile, 52, Wilson’s campaign manager, pleaded guilty to a perjury count and is scheduled to be sentenced May 24. Capra pleaded no contest in 2009 to a misdemeanor charge of failure to report a campaign contribution and agreed to resign from the council.
Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman, who prosecuted the case with Hassett, said shortly after the indictment that officials from Temple City cooperated with the Public Integrity Division in its investigation.
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