Accused Of Soliciting A Bribe, Beaumont Councilman Mark Orozco Pleads Not Guilty

BEAUMONT, CA — Beaumont City Councilman Mark Anthony Orozco, accused of falsifying campaign documents and soliciting a bribe, pleaded not guilty to all charges Thursday in Riverside.

Orozco, 40, was indicted in May following grand jury proceedings that were initiated at the request of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. He's charged with nine counts of perjury and one count of seeking a bribe in his official capacity. If convicted, he could face a maximum 13 years in state prison.

Orozco remains free on a $25,000 bond and is slated to return to court Sept. 28 for a felony settlement conference.

Beaumont city officials reportedly alerted the D.A.'s office of alleged fraud on the part of the defendant, who was elected in 2014. The felonies were allegedly committed in early 2016.

Most of the charges concern alleged willful misclassification of campaign money, according to prosecutors.

In 2016, Orozco was among the loudest voices urging resolution of a corruption probe that two years ago this month resulted in a slew of charges against a half-dozen former Beaumont employees, including ex-police Chief Frank Coe, the former planning director, William Dillon, and the former economic development director, Ernest Egger.

The defendants were indicted on various charges, ranging from misappropriation of funds to financial conflict of interest. It's alleged that more than $43 million was embezzled or otherwise used in the commission of fraud.

Orozco took his seat on the council after the investigation into the Beaumont six began and was not implicated.

District Attorney Mike Hestrin said the councilman's case serves as yet another example of the agency's drive to "hold our community leaders to the highest standards ... (and) deter political corruption in our county."

— By City News Service / Patch File Photo By Renee Schiavone