Ex Glendale Councilman Drayman plea deal Shot Down by Judge
Drayman had agreed with the prosecutor to the plea deal earlier in the week which included
[unordered_list style=”tick”]
- promised to plead guilty to three felony counts of embezzlement, perjury and tax fraud in
- Serve 300 hours of community service,
- a lifetime ban from public office
- $304,000 in restitution to the Montrose business group.
- and pay at least $35,000 to the California Franchise Tax Board.
[/unordered_list]
However Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Marcus, rejected the plea deal saying that Mr. Drayman as a public official and one holding a position of trust must pay for his conduct with jail time.
The deal presented was in contrast to his constant denial of guilt since his indictment in 2012. However with a twist of Irony that can only happen in Glendale, the Montrose shopping park officials, the same association that Drayman is accused of embezzling an estimated $900,000.00 asked the judge that the case not go to trial to avoid “negative publicity for Montrose” the letter stated that “Drayman serving time would not be prudent.”
The letter begs the question what is better? protecting the publicity of Montrose, or perpetuating corruption with sentences that amount to nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Trial is set for November 2013.
