SANTA ANA, CALIF.
A former member of the Planning Commission for the City of Westminster has been convicted of a federal bribery charge for soliciting and receiving a $15,000 bribe to help a person obtain a liquor license, officials state.
Dave Vo, 43, of Westminster, was found guilty by a federal jury late yesterday afternoon of one count of bribery in a program receiving federal funds.
Vo, who is an attorney, served as a Planning Commissioner in the Orange County city from early 2009 through early 2013. As a Planning Commissioner, Vo had influence over the issuance of conditional use permits.
U.S. District Judge James V. Selna is scheduled to sentence Vo on Jan. 8.
In 2011, Vo solicited a $15,000 bribe from a confidential informant. The informant reported to the FBI that Vo had solicited a bribe in relation to the issuance of a liquor license. During August 2011, over the course of four meetings, Vo received cash payments that totaled $15,000 in exchange for pushing the liquor license through the city’s approval process.
During the three-day trial, the jury heard audio recordings of Vo soliciting the bribe, and then saw video recordings of the payments being made.
The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.