Huntington Park is making headlines for alleged public corruption again.
Investigators with the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office searched Huntington Park City Hall and several residences on Wednesday as part of an investigation known as “Operation Dirty Pond.” The investigators were looking for evidence of bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, and other criminality.
Warrants were served at the homes of Mayor Karina Macias, Councilmember Eduardo Martinez, City Manager Ricardo Reyes, former council members Graciela Ortiz and Marilyn Sanabria, and former city official Efren Martinez. The Public Works Department was also searched.
“Prosecutors said the warrants stem from an ongoing investigation that began in November 2022,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “Investigators have been looking into alleged misuse of millions of dollars allocated for the construction of a regional aquatic center at Salt Lake Park, according to the statement. The city allocated more than $20 million to the project and has spent about $14 million even though nothing has been constructed yet.”
Councilmember Arturo Flores has raised alarm bells about the project. He says it has yielded nothing for taxpayers.
“It's my understanding that there's an estimated $14 million, give or take, that has been expended by the city, and that from those funds, the residents of the city have only received an empty lot with dead grass and nothing to show for those millions of dollars," Flores said.
Macias and Efren Martinez are no strangers to corruption investigations. Eight years ago, the District Attorney’s Office launched a conflict of interest probe stemming from Macias’ work as a political consultant. Martinez was a client of hers, and she had raised around $25,000 for his Assembly campaign. As it turns out, most of that money came from companies which sought to do business with the city. Businesses connected to the donors received city contracts. Prosecutors never filed charges and Macias was re-elected to the council two times.