Crime & CourtsVersion 2

Former Compton and Baldwin Park Council Members Sentenced in Bribery Case

Ricardo Pacheco and Isaac Galvan received prison sentences after admitting to bribery and tax evasion charges, according to multiple news reports.

4 reports on this incident · first at Aug 24, 2026, 5:26 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 24, 2026, 7:50 p.m. ETUpdated Aug 24, 2026, 11:25 p.m. ET

Two former Southern California city council members were to federal prison on August 24, 2026, after pleading guilty to bribery and tax charges, according to reports from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, LAist, Los Cerritos News, and MyNewsLA. Ricardo Pacheco, 63, of Baldwin Park, and Isaac Galvan, 39, of Compton, were in the for the Central District of California, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. Los Cerritos News reported the sentencing occurred in . The sentences imposed were , as reported by Los Cerritos News and LAist, or , as reported by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. Prosecutors said Pacheco admitted to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes, including $20,000 in cash, from a Baldwin Park police officer working at the FBI's direction, in exchange for his political support of the Baldwin Park Police Association's contract with the city. Galvan admitted to paying $70,000 in bribes to Pacheco in exchange for Pacheco's votes and support for commercial marijuana permits in Baldwin Park, and to failing to report to the IRS more than $500,000 in income, according to LAist. Los Cerritos News reported that The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA reported that Galvan bribed Pacheco with $70,000 for permits and that Pacheco solicited bribes from businesses seeking marijuana permits. The charges included bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, tax evasion, bribery, and evasion of tax assessment, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, LAist, Los Cerritos News, and MyNewsLA. The FBI investigated the case, according to those outlets.

Earlier reports

Aug 24, 2026, 8:55 p.m. ET
Former Compton and Baldwin Park Council Members Sentenced in Bribery Case
Two former Southern California city council members were sentenced on August 24, 2026, in a federal bribery case, according to reports from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, MyNewsLA, and Los Cerritos News.
Isaac Galvan, 39, of Compton, and Ricardo Pacheco, 63, of Baldwin Park, were sentenced after pleading guilty to charges including bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, tax evasion, and bribery, the outlets reported. Galvan received a sentence of a year and six months behind bars, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA, while Los Cerritos News reported the sentence as 18 months in federal prison.
The charges stem from allegations that Galvan bribed Pacheco with $70,000 for permits, and that Pacheco solicited bribes from businesses seeking marijuana permits, voting in their favor, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. Los Cerritos News reported a different account, alleging that Galvan paid Pacheco a $10,000 bribe in August 2017 to secure Pacheco's support for a future consulting client seeking a marijuana permit, and facilitated an additional $70,000 in bribes from W&F owner Yichang Bai to Pacheco. Bai, 52, of Arcadia, was also named as a defendant.
The FBI investigated the case, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. The U.S. Attorney's Office handled the prosecution, the outlets reported.
Aug 24, 2026, 8:52 p.m. ET
Former Compton and Baldwin Park Council Members Sentenced in Bribery Case
Two former Southern California city council members were sentenced on August 24, 2026, in a federal bribery case, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office and news reports.
Isaac Galvan, 39, of Compton, was sentenced to a year and six months behind bars, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. The Los Cerritos News reported the sentence as 18 months in federal prison. Ricardo Pacheco, 63, of Baldwin Park, was also sentenced, though the reports did not specify his term.
Galvan and Pacheco were convicted of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, tax evasion, and bribery, according to the same sources. The charges stem from allegations that Galvan bribed Pacheco with $70,000 for permits, and that Pacheco solicited bribes from businesses seeking marijuana permits, voting in their favor, as reported by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA. The Los Cerritos News reported a different version, alleging Galvan paid Pacheco a $10,000 bribe in August 2017 and facilitated an additional $70,000 in bribes from Yichang Bai, 52, of Arcadia, to Pacheco.
The FBI investigated the case, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and MyNewsLA.
Aug 24, 2026, 5:26 p.m. ETFirst report
Former Compton Councilman Isaac Galvan Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison
Isaac Galvan, a former Compton councilman, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in Los Angeles, according to loscerritosnews.net. The sentence stems from charges of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and tax evasion.
Prosecutors alleged that Galvan paid a $10,000 bribe to Ricardo Pacheco in August 2017 to secure Pacheco's support for a future consulting client seeking a marijuana permit, and facilitated an additional $70,000 in bribes from W&F owner Yichang Bai to Pacheco, as reported by loscerritosnews.net. Pacheco was also a defendant in the case.
The case is developing; further details may emerge.

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Revision history

Version 225 Aug 2026, 03:25current
Updated to include both defendants, resolved date, and sourced range for sentence and district.
Version 125 Aug 2026, 00:52current
First published.
Version 124 Aug 2026, 21:26current
First published.
Version 125 Aug 2026, 00:55current
First published.
Version 124 Aug 2026, 21:31
First published.

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