Ex-Southern California councilman accused of bribing politician for marijuana permits – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

A former councilman for the city of Compton has been arrested on a federal grand jury indictment accusing him and a consulting client of paying $70,000 in bribes to another politician in exchange for for marijuana permits, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Isaac Jacob Galvan, 36, was arrested Monday at his Compton home on a 10-count indictment filed earlier this month.

Also arrested as part of the bribery scheme was Yichang Bai, 50, of Arcadia, the owner and operator of W&F International Corp., a Diamond Bar-based import-export business.

Galvan and Bai are charged with one count each of conspiracy and bribery, and eight counts of honest services wire fraud, officials said.

Galvan allegedly paid the funds to a “corrupt” member of the Baldwin Park City Council, identified as Ricardo Pacheco, for votes and to support commercial marijuana permits for Bai’s corporation.

Back in 2017, Baldwin Park began allowing the cultivation, manufacture and distribution of marijuana within city limits, officials explained.