The president of the Moulton Niguel Water District, Duane D. Cave, admitted his wrongdoing and submitted his resignation following guilty pleas for falsifying nomination paperwork. According to a press release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Cave falsely claimed residency within the water district’s boundaries to secure his position on the board.
Investigations by the Orange County District Attorney's Office into Cave's residency began in October 2024 after a complaint from a resident. It was discovered that Cave actually had been living outside of the district, in Rancho Santa Margarita, while he rented out his Aliso Viejo property. This pivotal detail emerged to directly challenge Cave's previously asserted eligibility to run for re-election on the water district's board.
Following the guilty plea on November 10, 2025, Cave agreed to step down from his position, with his resignation set to take effect by November 20. The district that Cave was elected to represent serves essential water services to a considerable number of customers across various communities in Orange County.
"For a candidate to lie to get on the ballot is not just committing a crime, it is robbing the people of their most precious right, their voice of who they want to represent them, to protect them, and to fight for all their other rights," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer expressed in the press release. Cave's betrayal of public trust resulted in a sentence of 160 hours of community service and one year of informal probation, a consequence that aims to somehow repair the trust breached.
Deputy District Attorney Heather Heslep-Morrissey of the Special Prosecutions Unit carried out the prosecution of this case. With the unfolding of these events, the community awaits to see how the Moulton Niguel Water District will move forward and select a representative who upholds the integrity and trust of their constituents.
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