Former PR mayor: Conviction had nothing to do with resignation

Former Pico Rivera Mayor Gracie Gallegos was praised last month for her service to the city, and her decision to resign her post in order to spend more time with her family.

Now, some can't help but wonder if a 2007 felony fraud conviction had anything to do with it.

Bethania Palma reported that Gallegos was accused of cashing a check for $3,173 from the car insurance company where she worked as part of a fraudulent claim in 2007. Yet in March, she was elected to the City Council despite the allegations.

By August of that sane year, she had been convicted.

It appears the conviction was not necessarily a secret at City Hall -- City Manager Chuck Fuentes said Friday Gallegos told him of her legal woes before the August conviction, but he did not disclose the information to other councilmembers because of "confidentiality laws."

Fuentes helped Gallegos on her campaign.

Gallegos says her decision to resign had nothing to do with the felony conviction.

And then she declined to comment further, according to Palma saying she is now "a private citizen" and not obligated to respond to press inquiries.

Read the full story here.