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Former Palm Springs Mayor Stephen Pougnet and two Coachella Valley developers have been charged with bribery, conflict of interest and perjury.
Multiple criminal counts were filed against Pougnet, Richard Meaney and John Wessman: nine counts of accepting a bribe by a public officer, nine counts of bribing an executive officer, eight counts of conflict of interest, three counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, according to a statement released Thursday by Riverside County District Attorney’s office.
If convicted, Pougnet would face a maximum 19 years in state prison and would be banned for life from holding public office. Meaney and Wessman would face a maximum of 12 years each in state prison.
Both developers allegedly made approximately $375,000 in illegal payments to Pougnet from 2012 to 2014, when he was mayor of Palm Springs. At the time, both men had lucrative development projects before the Palm Springs City Council.
Pougnet is alleged to have voted on projects in which he had a financial stake without ever disclosing that on his statement of economic interest. He signed that statement under penalty of perjury.
No arraignment date has been set. All three defendants are expected to surrender themselves to authorities within the next few days, according to the statement.
