World

Ricardo Pacheco sentenced in California cannabis permit bribery case

Herz — World Desk · 28 August 2026 at 12:00 · 30s summary · 3 min read

The essentials

Ricardo Pacheco was sentenced this week to up to 18 months in prison in a California cannabis permit bribery case. Authorities found $62,000 in cash buried in the former Baldwin Park council member’s yard. After the FBI recorded him accepting money in 2018, Pacheco became an informant and wore a hidden microphone for several years. His cooperation led to six indictments involving more than 20 participants. Former Compton council member Isaac Galvan, who facilitated bribes on Pacheco’s behalf, was also sentenced this week to 18 months in prison.

Ricardo Pacheco was sentenced to up to 18 months in prison.
Authorities found $62,000 buried in his yard.
His cooperation led to six indictments involving more than 20 participants.
Isaac Galvan was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

What is known

Ricardo Pacheco was sentenced this week to up to 18 months in prison for corruption. The Los Angeles Times reports that authorities found $62,000 in cash buried in his yard early in the investigation.

Prosecutors said the former Baldwin Park council member solicited bribes from businesses seeking cannabis-related development agreements and permits.

According to court records, the misconduct began after Baldwin Park authorized cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and distribution in 2017.

An FBI operation caught on camera

In 2018, the FBI recorded Pacheco accepting $20,000 in cash at a coffee shop. He also received $17,000 in contributions intended for his church and political activities.

The payments were offered in exchange for his vote on a police contract. Following the operation, the FBI recruited him as an informant.

Pacheco then wore a hidden microphone for several years in California’s San Gabriel Valley.

His cooperation led to six indictments involving more than 20 participants. The investigation also resulted in charges and convictions involving six local government figures and one cannabis operator.

Isaac Galvan’s role

Isaac Galvan, a former Compton council member, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison for facilitating bribes on Pacheco’s behalf.

Galvan was to advise cannabis businesses and connect them with Pacheco. He pleaded guilty, as did five other participants implicated with Pacheco’s cooperation.

Under his plea agreement, Pacheco agreed to forfeit nearly $219,755 in illicit proceeds. Galvan agreed to pay $323,557.

Payments tied to cannabis permits

Prosecutors described a scheme involving officials from several cities who helped businesses secure cannabis permits.

Gabriel Chavez, then a member of the San Bernardino County Planning Commission and the owner of a marketing company, received payments from cannabis businesses and passed a portion to Pacheco, according to his plea agreement.

Plea agreements state that Chavez received $170,000 from two cannabis companies for contracts and then paid Pacheco $93,000 in cash.

The payments were made while Pacheco voted in 2017 and 2018 to approve permits sought by the two companies.

Prosecutors said Robert Manuel Nacionales Tafoya, then Baldwin Park’s city attorney, drafted the legal documents used to channel money from Chavez’s company to Pacheco and worked with Pacheco to issue the permits.