Prosecutor Asks Judge To Give Former Councilman Alarcon Jail Time

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon could serve jail time if prosecuting attorneys have their way.

In a sentencing memorandum released Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Michele Gilmer asked that Alarcon be sentenced to 180 days in county jail, 1,000 hours of community service, five years of probation and be disqualified from holding any elected office in the future.

Alarcon, 60, was convicted of fraudulent voting and perjury for living outside the district he was elected to represent on July 23. His wife, Flora, now 49, was convicted of two counts of fraudulent voting and one count of perjury by declaration.

The couple is scheduled to appear in court again Wednesday, but their sentencing is expected to be postponed to a later date.

In her filing, Gilmer called Alarcon "a seasoned public figure" who had previously held positions as a city councilman, state senator and assemblyman.

"He was a lawmaker when he made the calculated decision that he was going to break the law for profit and his own aggrandizement, self-preservation and convenience," the prosecutor wrote.

The prosecutor urged the judge to order Alarcon to serve time behind bars, saying it would otherwise send "the wrong message to the residents of the city of Los Angeles and other elected officials." However, if the judge felt a jail term was not warranted, Gilmer said she would request a 180-day home detention term for Alarcon.

Gilmer also asked the judge to sentence Alarcon's wife to 500 hours of community service and five years probation.

Alarcon was convicted of fraudulent voting in November 2008 and the March and May elections in 2009, and perjury by declaration involving his November 2008 declaration of intent to become a candidate for city council. His wife was convicted of fraudulently voting in the March 2009 and May 2009 elections, along with perjury by declaration involving a provisional ballot in November 2008.

The couple lived in the Sun Valley home owned by Flora Alarcon, but registered their permanent address as Panorama City.

Sen. Roderick Wright was convicted Jan. 28 of similar charges, with prosecutors in that case contending that he lived outside the district he was elected to represent. Wright was suspended March 28 by the state Senate and is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday.

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