A pair of former Southern California councilmen have each been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for bribery-related crimes, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The cases involve longtime former Baldwin Park City Councilman Ricardo Pacheco and former Compton City Councilman Isaac Jacob Galvan, both of whom federal prosecutors said engaged in corrupt schemes while holding public office.
According to the Justice Department, the schemes involved tens of thousands of dollars in bribes connected to political support, a police union contract and commercial marijuana permits.
Pacheco, who served on the Baldwin Park City Council beginning in 1997, admitted to accepting payments in exchange for supporting a police association contract. Galvan, who served on the Compton City Council from 2013 to 2022, was separately accused of facilitating payments to Pacheco in connection with marijuana permits.
Both men have now been sentenced to federal prison.
What Happened
The Justice Department announced Monday that Pacheco and Galvan each received 18-month federal prison sentences for their respective crimes.
The investigations centered on conduct that occurred while both men held elected office.
In Pacheco's case, federal authorities said he solicited and accepted a total of $37,900 in bribes from a Baldwin Park police officer who was cooperating with the FBI.
The payments were made in exchange for Pacheco's support of the Baldwin Park Police Association's contract with the city. Federal officials said the contract was worth at least $4.4 million over three years.
Pacheco, now 63, received $20,000 in cash from the cooperating officer at a Baldwin Park coffee shop in October 2018, according to the Justice Department.
The remaining $17,900 came through checks made payable to his church and what federal officials described as “sham political action committees.” Authorities said Pacheco controlled those entities even though they were listed under other people's names.
Federal officials explained that the police officer making the payments was working at the FBI's direction after approaching the bureau as part of an ongoing corruption investigation.
“The police officer who made the payments did so at the direction of the FBI,” federal officials said, explaining how the undercover portion of the investigation unfolded.
According to the DOJ, Pacheco voted in favor of the Police Association contract in March 2018 after receiving the payments.
Pacheco's Bribery Case
Pacheco's case was not limited to a single payment.
Federal prosecutors said he solicited and received multiple payments over several months in 2018. Investigators ultimately determined that the total amount was $37,900.
The former councilman had already agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors in 2020. He subsequently resigned from the Baldwin Park City Council after holding the position for more than two decades.
Federal authorities also said Pacheco forfeited $83,145 in cash proceeds, including $62,900 that officials said had been buried in his backyard.
U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II imposed the 18-month prison sentence and also ordered Pacheco to pay a $10,000 fine.
He was further ordered to forfeit $219,755, while a restitution hearing is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
The DOJ said the corruption investigation also involved marijuana-related permits after Baldwin Park began allowing marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and distribution within city limits.
“Soon afterward, Pacheco began soliciting bribes from businesses seeking marijuana development agreements and related permits in the city,” federal officials said.
Authorities alleged that Pacheco used his position to assist businesses seeking permits and agreed to support applications in exchange for illicit payments.
Galvan's Role
Galvan's case was connected to the marijuana permit portion of the investigation.
According to federal authorities, Galvan was serving on the Compton City Council when he offered consulting services to W&F International Corp., a Diamond Bar-based import-export company seeking a marijuana permit in Baldwin Park.
Federal prosecutors said Galvan eventually facilitated $70,000 in bribes to Pacheco from the company's owner and operator, Arcadia resident Yichang Bai.
The payments were allegedly made in exchange for Pacheco's political support of W&F's marijuana permits.
Pacheco subsequently voted in favor of the company's permit in June and July 2018, according to federal authorities. He also voted in favor of the company's relocation later that year.
The Justice Department said the participants took steps to conceal the payments.
“Bai provided a total of seven checks from different bank accounts that were not Bai’s or W&F’s,” federal officials said.
According to the DOJ, Galvan arranged for those checks to be delivered to Pacheco as additional payments connected to his votes and support.
Additional Payments and Tax Issues
Federal prosecutors said the alleged financial arrangements continued after the relocation vote.
According to the Justice Department, Pacheco contacted Galvan after the vote and asked him to obtain money from W&F for his legal defense fund. Pacheco reportedly requested $25,000, although Bai ultimately provided $20,000.
“Galvan arranged for the checks to be delivered to Pacheco as further payment,” the DOJ said.
Authorities said the payments were structured through checks from different accounts rather than being made directly by Bai or W&F.
The federal investigation also uncovered separate tax-related conduct involving Galvan.
According to prosecutors, Galvan directed people to issue checks with blank payee lines that could later be converted into income for him. Officials also said individuals helped cover his living expenses through checks tied to income he had earned.
Federal authorities said Galvan failed to file individual tax returns from 2017 through 2020 as part of an effort to evade federal taxes.
The Justice Department said Galvan concealed his ownership and control of a shell company known as I&I LLC, which authorities said was used to solicit and facilitate bribery payments.
The Money Involved
The financial figures involved in the cases were significant.
Federal authorities said Pacheco received $37,900 in bribes during the investigation involving the police union contract.
In the marijuana permit scheme, prosecutors said Galvan facilitated $70,000 in payments to Pacheco.
Authorities also said Galvan failed to report approximately $560,525 in income between 2017 and 2020.
The unreported income resulted in an estimated $115,816 loss to the U.S. Treasury, according to the Justice Department.
Galvan was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution.
The financial penalties were imposed in addition to the prison sentence and reflect the government's calculations regarding the financial consequences of the conduct.
A Cautious View
While the Justice Department has presented the cases as examples of public corruption, it is important to distinguish the allegations and investigative evidence from broader claims about corruption in local government as a whole. The cases involve specific individuals and specific conduct, and the existence of these prosecutions does not establish that other elected officials in Baldwin Park, Compton or elsewhere engaged in similar behavior. The evidence and findings described by federal prosecutors relate to Pacheco and Galvan and should not automatically be generalized to other public officials.
What Authorities Are Saying
Federal prosecutors described the conduct as an abuse of public office for personal and political benefit.
In Pacheco's case, authorities said payments were tied directly to his votes and support for a police union contract and marijuana-related matters.
In Galvan's case, prosecutors said he acted as an intermediary in the marijuana permit bribery scheme while also concealing substantial income from federal tax authorities.
The Justice Department said the investigation exposed arrangements involving cash, checks, political entities and business relationships designed to obscure the flow of money.
The cases also demonstrate how corruption investigations can continue for years before criminal proceedings and sentencing are completed. Pacheco's conduct dated back to 2018, while his federal plea agreement was reached in 2020.
Other Person Sentenced
The investigation also resulted in consequences for Yichang Bai, the Arcadia resident identified by federal prosecutors as the owner and operator connected to W&F International Corp.
Bai pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
In July, Bai was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison and fined $3,000, according to the Justice Department.
His case adds another layer to the investigation surrounding the marijuana permits and payments allegedly made to secure political support.
What Happens Next
Pacheco and Galvan will serve their respective federal prison sentences following the court proceedings.
Pacheco also faces financial obligations stemming from his sentence, including the $10,000 fine and $219,755 forfeiture ordered by the court. His restitution hearing is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
Galvan was ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution in addition to his prison sentence.
The sentences mark the latest stage of federal corruption investigations that examined how public officials allegedly used their positions to benefit themselves or others financially.
The cases also highlight the federal government's ability to pursue public corruption involving local elected officials when conduct involves federal interests or federal criminal statutes.
What We Still Don't Know
- The full financial impact of the schemes beyond the amounts identified by federal prosecutors.
- Whether additional individuals will face charges related to the investigations.
- The final restitution proceedings involving Pacheco, which are expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
- Whether further investigative details will be released by federal authorities.
- How the convictions and sentences may affect ongoing local political discussions surrounding public corruption and government oversight.
For now, the two former councilmen have received identical 18-month federal prison sentences, while the broader investigation has already resulted in additional criminal proceedings involving other individuals.
The Justice Department said the cases involved bribery, political influence, marijuana permitting and tax-related conduct, illustrating the range of allegations examined during the federal investigations.