Indicted San Jacinto City Councilmember Lopez Arrested Again

SAN JACINTO, CA — A sitting San Jacinto City Councilmember who was indicted earlier this year on suspicion of operating an illegal cannabis dispensary was arrested again Thursday for alleged domestic violence.

Joel Lopez, 35, was taken into custody around 4:20 p.m. near Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto in connection with two alleged domestic violence incidents — one that took place July 31 in Los Angeles, and the other on Thursday in San Jacinto, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Information about the alleged domestic violence was unavailable.

At the time of his arrest Thursday, Lopez was free on $100,000 bail stemming from court proceedings into the alleged illegal cannabis operation. That investigation culminated with Lopez's June 10 arrest, where he was booked on suspicion of conspiracy and unlawfully selling marijuana, both felonies, as well as misdemeanor charges of operating without a seller's permit and failure to file a sales and use tax return.

As a condition of bail in the marijuana investigation, Lopez was outfitted with an ankle monitor.

As deputies investigated the new domestic violence allegations, they learned Lopez made statements to his bail agent that he intended to cut off the ankle monitor and flee the country, according to a sheriff's department report.

At the time of his arrest Thursday, investigators found Lopez’s U.S. passport in his vehicle, according to the sheriff's department.

Deemed a flight risk, a bail enhancement for Lopez was requested and approved for $5,000,000. If he makes bail, he will have to show proof of where the funds came from.

Following Lopez's June arrest, Patch reached out to the City of San Jacinto for comment. The city responded with an emailed statement.

"As this is an ongoing criminal investigation, the City of San Jacinto is unable to provide further details or comment on the matter at this time," the email read. "The city has agreed to assist in the investigation should assistance be requested."

The city confirmed Friday that it was contacted by the sheriff's department regarding Lopez's latest arrest.

"While city officials continue to monitor the situation, we are unable to provide comment on this law enforcement matter," a released statement read.

Lopez won his first election to the San Jacinto City Council in November 2018. His term expires in December 2022.

As of Friday, Lopez was still listed as a current city councilmember on the city's website.