José Huizar Begins 13-Year Sentence at Lompoc

Former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar has begun serving a 13-year prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Lompoc II, following his conviction for accepting bribes from developers and tax evasion. Huizar, who represented Council District 14, pleaded guilty in January 2023 to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and tax evasion, and was also ordered to pay $444,000 in restitution to Los Angeles and nearly $39,000 to the IRS. His surrender was delayed twice due to undisclosed medical reasons. His co-defendant, former Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan, received a 12-year sentence for his role as an intermediary in the scheme. Chan was convicted of multiple charges including wire fraud and bribery and must pay $752,457 in restitution. Huizar's actions were part of a larger pay-to-play scheme at City Hall, leveraging his office for personal gain.