Overview
- A Riverside County grand jury unsealed a nine-count indictment Thursday alleging one felony contract conflict, four felony perjury counts, and four misdemeanor conflicts.
- Prosecutors cite Hernandez’s vote on a CVAG Housing First contract and his advocacy and votes on downtown Coachella development, and they have not identified any personal benefits he received.
- Hernandez surrendered earlier this week, was booked, posted $112,500 bail, and entered his plea during an arraignment before Judge Dean Benjamini.
- Riverside County Board of Supervisors Chair Manuel Perez placed Hernandez on indefinite administrative leave from his county chief-of-staff role.
- If convicted as charged, he could face a lifetime ban from public office and more than seven years in state prison, with a trial-setting conference set for Feb. 23 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.