Ex-Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez sentenced in corruption scandal
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez has been sentenced to one year in jail and five years' probation in the city's corruption scandal.
Hernandez was convicted last year, along with former city council members Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal, of five corruption-related counts and acquitted of five others. Former Councilman George Cole was convicted of two counts and acquitted of two others, while former Councilman Victor Bello was convicted of four counts and acquitted of four others.
In a plea deal, all five pleaded no contest earlier this year to two felony counts each of misappropriation of public funds. The five were charged in September 2010 along with former City Administrator Robert Rizzo and former Assistant City Administrator Angela Spaccia.
Hernandez served with the city for eight years, including three terms as mayor. In that time, he and his co-defendants authorized huge salaries for themselves. In two years, Hernandez's salary went from $673 a month to $62,000 a year.
In the district attorney's sentencing recommendations, Hernandez made stunning admissions early in the case. He said he delivered "lousy service" and admitted that some of the meetings that he was getting paid to attend lasted only a few minutes. Hernandez apologized to the city of Bell for his role in the corruption and said he cooperated with investigators.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy said she saw two dramatically different portrayals of Hernandez -- one was of a country bumpkin who could have been manipulated by Rizzo and Spaccia, and the other was of a skilled manipulator.
Kennedy sentenced Hernandez to four years in state prison, but it is a suspended sentence. Instead, his term will be less than a year in county jail. He must also perform 1,000 hours of community service and pay more than $241,000 in restitution.
Hernandez must surrender to begin serving his jail time on Aug. 29.
City News Service contributed to this report.
