Councilman Richard Alarcon was ordered to stand trial on voter fraud and perjury charges Tuesday that stem from an investigation involving two family homes in different council districts, according to the District Attorney's office.
Document: Alarcon Criminal Complaint
The charges involve allegations that Alarcon and his wife did not live in a Panorama City home that he illegally claimed as his residence. He is accused of filing a false declaration of candidacy by living outside of a district that he represents.
Alarcon, who represents Council District 7, claimed that he moved his family to a Sun Valley address located in District 2 after someone broke into his Panorama City home in District 7 in October 2009. But prosecutors claim he lived in Sun Valley, not the District 7 address in Panorama City.
On Tuesday, a judge dismissed one count -- a false declaration of candidacy -- but found sufficient evidence to order trial on 17 other counts against Alarcon. The allegations of perjury date to November 2006, when prosecutors said Alarcon declared in his voter registration form that he resided at a Nordhoff Street residence in Panorama City.
Other perjury counts involve Alarcon's December 2006 filing of a declaration of candidacy for city council and his January 2007 application for a California driver's license -- both using the same Panorama City address.
"We believe we have a very strong case going into trial,'' Alarcon said outside the courthouse.
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The judge's decision was not unexpected, he added.
Flora Montes de Oca Alarcon, 47, was ordered to stand trial on six felony counts. She faces three counts each of perjury by declaration and three counts of fraudulent voting in elections in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The council member and his wife are due in court Oct. 18 for arraignment.
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