Coachella Mayor Steven A. Hernandez was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of perjury and conflicts of interest. The arrest followed an investigation by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit. According to NBC News, the case was brought to a grand jury, which found sufficient evidence for an indictment.
Hernandez’s arrest was preceded by that of another Coachella city employee, who now faces charges of bribery and embezzlement. The two cases are connected, NBC reports.
Hernandez is a longtime public servant. He joined the Coachella City Council in 2006 and was elected mayor in 2012.
“The City is aware of allegations made regarding Coachella Mayor Steven A. Hernandez and the City’s administration is fully cooperating with authorities,” Coachella said in a statement. “There is no additional information available to share at this time.”