Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/roman-reyna/)
Roman Reyna agreed to pay $578,053 in restitution to the city for the cost of an upcoming special election to fill his seat on the council, and will have a lifetime ban against holding elected office, according to prosecutors.
Larry Cabrera’s hiring, and his later contract expansion to $50,000, were not announced by the city or placed on a public City Council agenda. He reportedly was involved in a disputed decision to reject recall paperwork against two City Council members.
It’s first time in years Orange County DA officials have been known to place a politician under surveillance for alleged residency fraud.
Santa Ana is now set to get a new city manager May 1, but will hold a special election this November to fill the vacant City Council seat formerly held by Roman Reyna.
District Attorney investigators served search warrants at multiple locations in recent weeks to obtain documents, including text messages involving Reyna from multiple cell phones.
His resignation follows through on an agreement to step down to avoid a civil trial involving allegations of election fraud.
Reyna was facing the likelihood of sworn testimony, in public, by other city officials and one of his family members regarding allegations he falsified residency documents. His resignation sets the stage for a potential shift in power at City Hall.
The talks apparently include the possibility of Roman Reyna stepping down from the council.
Roman Reyna is accused of being ineligible for the seat because he was living outside the ward during a city-required residency period and falsified his election paperwork, which Reyna disputes. The outcome could affect the balance of power on the council.
The Nov. 6 election comes as the city faces an ever-worsening financial crisis, pulling $10 million in one-time money this year to make ends meet.