PICO RIVERA - A Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued an order last week prohibiting former Pico Rivera councilman Ron Beilke from running for or holding public office for four years.Beilke was also sentenced to three years of probation and 30 days community services, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Beilke was convicted Jan. 20 of two misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest for voting on contracts between the city of Pico Rivera and two private businesses, American Asphalt and Mobility Solutions. Evidence presented at trial revealed that the work stipulated by the contracts could forseeably benefit Beilke's Wienerschnitzel franchise in Pico Rivera, authorities said. Beilke was found not guilty of one count of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, one a misdemeanor, the other a felony. The contract between Pico Rivera and All American Ashpalt was for paving of the intersection within 500 feet of Beilke's restaurant. The work included decorative, colored concrete, prosecutors said. The contract with Mobility Solutions was for the design of a street light, within 500 feet of his restaurant, which allowed traffic to flow freely into the shopping center directly connected to the Weinerschnitzel.

********** Published: May 5, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 3