San Leandro City Council Member Bryan Azevedo has entered a not-guilty plea amid charges of accepting a bribe and making false statements to law enforcement. The Oaklandside reports that U.S. District Judge Kandis A. Westmore allowed Azevedo to remain out of custody on a $25,000 unsecured bond, with his next court appearance scheduled for Jan. 8. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years for the bribery charge, in addition to a possible five-year term for lying to law enforcement.
Details on the case suggest that Azevedo is alleged to have quickly accepted a $2,000 cash bribe from two unnamed co-conspirators in November 2023, in connection with a housing company's business deals with San Leandro. The allegations are part of a broader investigation that also includes the indictments of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and others. Additionally, Azevedo had ties to the housing company Evolutionary Homes, having attended a delegation organized by a business association connected to the company, according to information from The Oaklandside.
Notably, federal prosecutors signal that they are "very close" to resolving Azevedo's case, indicating that there may not be substantive hearings until the plea or sentencing hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine underlined this during the Wednesday's hearing, who was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying, we are "very close to reaching a resolution for this case."
Azevedo's attorney, Steven Kalar, has been effectively working pro bono due to the government shutdown. This aspect of his defense comes as Azevedo faces serious charges, including conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and making false statements, crimes punishable by up to 25 years in prison if convicted. According to documents, Azevedo was instructed to conceal his involvement in the alleged scheme by funneling illicit payments through an LLC and bank account in his wife's name, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
