Former Compton City Councilmember Isaac Galvan pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of tax evasion.
Galvan, 38, served on the Compton City Council from 2013 until 2022, when he lost his seat amid an election rigging scandal. While serving on the City Council, he also ran a consulting service.
Galvan admits that he facilitated $70,000 in bribes to former Baldwin Park City Councilmember Ricardo Pacheco in exchange for Pacheco’s political support and votes to secure marijuana permits for one of Galvan’s clients. In addition, Galvan says he failed to file federal tax returns for the years 2017 through 2020 and did not report $560,525 in income during that period. As part of his plea agreement, he has agreed to pay $323,557 in restitution to the IRS.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 8, 2026. Under federal law, Galvan’s crimes carry a combined statutory maximum sentence of 15 years.