Pico Rivera councilman convicted

PICO RIVERA - Former Pico Rivera councilman Ronald Beilke was convicted of two misdemeanor conflict of interest charges last week.Beilke voted on contracts between Pico Rivera and two private businesses, All American Asphalt and Mobility Solutions. The work stipulated by the contracts benefited Beilke's Wienerschnitzel franchise in Pico Rivera, prosecutors said. Beilke will be sentenced Feb. 18 and faces a maximum of one year in jail. Jurors, who deliberated for two days, found Beilke not guilty of one count of perjury and two separate counts of conflict of interest. The contract between Pico Rivera and All American Ashpalt called for the paving of the intersection within 500 feet of Beilke's restaurant. The work included decorative, colored concrete, the prosecutor said. The contract with Mobility Solutions was for the design of a street light, within 500 feet of the Wienerschnitzel, which allowed traffic to flow freely into the shopping center directly connected to the restaurant. At the time of sentencing, the judge could also issue an order prohibiting Beilke from running for or holding public office for four years.

********** Published: January 27, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 41