An attorney for a Coachella Valley developer, who’s facing a dozen years in prison if convicted of bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, told a judge Friday that his client is not a flight risk in asking that the court grant the defendant permission to travel to Italy for a nearly monthlong bicycle tour.
John Wessman, 79, is accused, along with Richard Meaney, of paying Pougnet around $375,000 between 2012 and 2014 to vote favorably when their development projects came up before the city council.
All three defendants are charged with numerous bribery and perjury charges.
If convicted on all counts, Pougnet, 54, would face up to 19 years in state prison and be barred for life from holding public office, while Meaney, 52, and Wessman would each face a maximum of 12 years behind bars.
At a felony settlement conference Friday afternoon, which none of the defendants attended, Wessman’s attorney outlined a motion filed last week seeking the return of his client’s passport, which he was previously required to surrender to the court.
“In the interim, while what is anticipated to be a lengthy discovery process advances, Mr. Wessman wishes to take a limited trip abroad with close friends and family,” the motion states.
Attorney Elliot R. Peters’ motion says Wessman would provide the court with a “detailed itinerary upon booking the trip, with full details regarding his schedule, lodging, transfers, travel companions and all local contact information.”
Deputy District Attorney Amy Barajas expressed concerned that the trip could provide Wessman an opportunity to flee from prosecution, arguing that setting bail for such a matter presented a “unique situation” in regards to Wessman’s financial status.
“Is there an amount that really would ensure his return?” Barajas asked.
Attorneys discussed the possibility of Wessman posting his Coachella Valley home instead of bail to ensure his return, though Peters assured Superior Court Judge Harold W. Hopp that he need not be concerned with Wessman becoming a flight risk.
“The idea that he’s just going to become a fugitive, without any suggestion that there’s any reason to believe that’s the case — I think that’s just an unfair speculation,” Peters said, citing court appearances his client had made since the case was filed in February 2017.
Hopp did not rule on the motion. Attorneys will return to court on Wednesday to further discuss the travel request.
Payments to Pougnet were allegedly drawn directly from accounts maintained by Meaney’s Union Abbey Co. and Wessman Development Inc. Court papers allege the developers paid Pougnet through shell companies for consulting work that was never performed.
Prosecutors allege that the bribes were tied to several council votes on downtown properties, including the Dakota gated community, Desert Fashion Plaza, the Kimpton Hotel and the Vivante retirement housing development.
“There was very strong evidence that Mr. Meaney and Mr. Wessman were buying the mayor’s (vote),” District Attorney Mike Hestrin said when the charges were announced last year. “They had a lot to gain from his actions on the (city) council.”
All three defendants remain free on $25,000 bail and are slated to return to court June 29 for a felony settlement conference.