Two former California councilmen, Ricardo Pacheco and Isaac Jacob Galvan, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a bribery scheme involving tens of thousands of dollars in illicit payments. The scheme, which aimed to secure political support and city permits, unraveled when the FBI discovered a significant sum of stolen cash buried in Pacheco’s backyard. Both men received 18-month sentences on Monday.
Bribery Scheme Uncovered
The investigation, spearheaded by federal agents, revealed that Pacheco, 63, formerly of the Baldwin Park City Council, and Galvan, 39, a former Compton City Council member, accepted bribes in exchange for official actions. These actions included endorsing a police union’s contract and facilitating permits for marijuana cultivation businesses.
According to the Department of Justice, the duo engaged in a sophisticated bribery operation. Pacheco, who served on the Baldwin Park City Council from 1997 to 2020, including a stint as mayor pro tempore in 2018, was fined an additional $10,000 and ordered to forfeit $219,755. Galvan was ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution on top of his prison term.
Pacheco’s Role and Plea
Pacheco pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of federal program bribery. His downfall began when he accepted a $20,000 cash bribe from an undercover police officer working with the FBI. This payment was made in exchange for Pacheco’s political support for the Baldwin Park Police Association’s contract with the city. The Department of Justice stated that Pacheco received a total of $37,900 in bribes from this officer between January and October 2018, all to ensure his vote for the police contract, which was valued at approximately $4.4 million over three years.
In return for the bribes, Pacheco voted to renew the police contract in March 2018. The initial $20,000 cash bribe was delivered in an envelope at a coffee shop. Further payments totaling $17,900 were made via checks, which Pacheco instructed city staff to disburse to his church and to shell political action committees he controlled, set up using the names of others.
As part of his plea agreement in June 2020, Pacheco resigned from his council seat. During the investigation, the FBI seized $83,145 in cash proceeds, including $62,900 that Pacheco admitted to burying in his backyard. This buried cash was a key piece of evidence linking him to the illicit funds.
Galvan’s Involvement and Tax Evasion
Galvan, identified as Pacheco’s co-conspirator, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to charges of federal program bribery and evasion of tax assessment. He admitted to funneling $70,000 in bribes to Pacheco to secure his support for commercial marijuana permits. Additionally, Galvan confessed to failing to report over half a million dollars in income to the IRS.
Baldwin Park began allowing marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution within its city limits in June 2017. Shortly after, Pacheco began soliciting bribes from businesses seeking development agreements and permits. He promised to leverage his position to help them obtain these approvals.
One such business involved was W&F International Corp. Galvan provided consulting services to the company and then channeled $70,000 in bribes from the owner, Yichang Bai, to Pacheco. Pacheco, in turn, assured W&F International Corp. of Baldwin Park’s approval for their marijuana permits, which were granted in the summer of 2018, and also supported the company’s relocation efforts.
To obscure the payments, Bai collected checks from third parties who owed him money. These checks, with blank payee lines, were given to Galvan, who then passed them to Pacheco. Further payments, totaling $20,000 across seven checks, were also funneled from Bai to Pacheco through Galvan as additional compensation for votes.
Tax Evasion and Financial Concealment
Galvan’s admission of tax evasion included failing to file federal individual tax returns for the years 2017 through 2020. This deliberate omission was intended to hide his ownership and control of a shell company, I&I LLC, which he used to solicit bribes for public officials. The Department of Justice estimates that Galvan failed to report approximately $560,525 in income during this period, resulting in an estimated loss of $115,816 to the U.S. Treasury.
Sentencing and Additional Convictions
On July 6, District Judge Otis D. Wright II presided over the sentencing of Pacheco and Galvan. The judge also sentenced Yichang Bai, the business owner involved in the bribery scheme, to 20 months in federal prison and a $3,000 fine after Bai pleaded guilty on February 23 to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The convictions of Pacheco and Galvan highlight a significant corruption case involving public officials in Los Angeles County, demonstrating the consequences of illicit dealings and the effectiveness of federal investigations in uncovering such activities. The recovery of buried cash served as a stark reminder of the lengths to which individuals will go to conceal their criminal actions.
