Investigators with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office served search warrants at at least seven locations associated with government officials in the City of Maywood Thursday. Properties searched include Maywood City Hall, the homes of and businesses of Mayor Ramon Medina and Vice Mayor Ricardo Villarreal, the office of a city contractor, and the home of former city councilman Sergio Calderon.
The raids were carried out by the DA’s public integrity division, which oversees investigations of public corruption. The office would not comment on the probe, but news outlets reported that computers and boxes of paperwork were among the items seized. Forty roosters were also taken by animal control.
Maywood is teetering on the brink of insolvency. A 51-page audit released by the state in 2016 detailed its financial woes. Auditors blamed “weak governance” and lax oversight, political infighting, and financial mismanagement for the city’s troubles.
Thursday’s raids may have been tipped off by information coming from inside City Hall. The L.A. Times reports that Maywood City Councilman Eduardo De La Riva has been supplying investigators with information on “suspicious activity” involving city contracts for the past two years.
"We've been waiting for this day for two years," De La Riva said Thursday. "We knew it was only a matter of time before the D.A. or somebody comes and looks into the city. We've suspected wrongdoing for a long time."
Mayor Medina said Thursday he has no idea why investigators raided the properties. He has denied any wrongdoing.