Council candidate Saman Saman has criminal record

By Andrew Edwards
SAN BERNARDINO -- City Council candidate Saman Saman has a criminal record that includes convictions for domestic violence, but he's hopeful that voters will look beyond his past when they cast their ballots.

"I accepted the charges, did my time, and it's behind me," Saman said Monday during an interview at his home.

Saman, 36, runs an online mattress sales business and is one of four candidates who have qualified for the March 17 Special Election to fill a council vacancy in San Bernardino's 4th Ward.

Saman readily confirmed that his court records show multiple criminal convictions, but was nevertheless upbeat regarding his run for office and personal future.

"What happens yesterday is yesterday, and you only have the moment and you do what you can handle," he said.

Information from the City Clerk's office could not be obtained as of Monday's deadline to report whether Saman's convictions make him ineligible to hold office.

San Bernardino Superior Court records show that Saman has had multiple run-ins with the law. Presented with copies of the records Monday, Saman acknowledged cases that include the following:

- On Sept. 4, 1998, Saman pleaded guilty to one felony count of domestic violence [PC 273.5 (a)]. Court records show he was sentenced to 36 months probation and 263 days in jail, for which he received credit for time served.

- On that same day, Saman also pleaded guilty to a misdeamenor count of domestic violence [PC M273.5 (a)] that stemmed from a separate incident. He was sentenced to 36 days in jail, for which he received credit for time served.

- On Dec. 27, 2005, Saman pleaded guilty to one felony count of causing injury to a child [PC 273D (a)]. In February of the following year, he was sentenced to serve 36 months probation and 124 days in county jail, for which he received credit for 58 days served.

His probation is scheduled to expire on Feb. 8, according to court records.

Court records that were immediately available Monday from the court's Web site do not detail the specifics of the allegations. Saman declined to discuss the circumstances of the domestic violence cases, which he says involved a girlfriend, but said the 2005 case stemmed from an accident.

Saman said that happened at a time when he was on crutches because of an injury to his Achilles tendon. He said he lost his footing and accidentally tumbled onto his son.

"I slipped and fell from the crutch and hit him," he said.

Saman has a barrel chest and powerfully built arms that make him look like an NFL linebacker. He readily admitted his past mistakes, saying he found time to study the Bible while incarcerated.

As to the idea that his convictions may make it hard for him to attract voters, Saman said "it depends on if you believe in the system. The system is to rehabilitate people."

As for his reasons in seeking public office, Saman said he wants to serve as a member of "the council of the wise" and wants to do his part to make the city more business friendly.

Code enforcement and San Bernardino's physical appearance are among his top concerns, and he also said he wants to provide maximum resources to the Police Department.

Saman said he also wants city employees to reside in San Bernardino.

The other three candidates who have qualified for the Special Election are IT manager Joe Arnett, independent sales contractor Fred Shorett and pharmaceutical company representative John Valdivia.

The three candidates declined to comment for this article.

The March 17 Special Election is planned to conducted as a mail-in affair to determine who will succeed Neil Derry as the 4th Ward's council representative. Derry left the council in December to join the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.