Special Section: San Jacinto Corruption Probe

It's gotten so nuts in San Jacinto, residents should consider using scorecards to keep track of the felony indictments against city, school, college and tribal officials made in a mere six weeks.

The chairman of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, four members of the San Jacinto City Council, one member of the San Jacinto school board and the chief of police at Mt. San Jacinto College face felony indictments that arose from three unrelated investigations.

It's a tough time to live in San Jacinto, where residents hear from out-of-town relatives who learned about the indictments on television and in newspapers. They are in danger of being teased whenever they cross city lines into the rival town of Hemet, where their troubles are a hot topic at YaYa's Coffee House.

"It's a big joke, but we've had some heated arguments in here," said Tonya Watson, the coffee house owner. "Sometimes I have to referee."

Hemet resident Ray Strait, the instigator of the every-morning debates at YaYa's, admits he is guilty of teasing and arguing with San Jacinto residents brave enough to enter the coffee house. "They get ribbed all the time," he said. "I'm glad I live on the other side of town."

He looks forward to attending Thursday's San Jacinto City Council meeting, which will be the first time the group convenes since the indictments. Town residents say they will ask the council members to resign or face being voted out of office.

"I wouldn't miss it. I'm interested in what's going on," said the 85-year-old Strait. "It will be overcrowded. It will be raucous, and some people probably will have to be thrown out."

The blizzard of indictments begs the question: What is going on in San Jacinto?

People in town say they are nothing more than an embarrassing coincidence.

Daniel Becerra, owner of Gentlemen's Parlor Barber Shop in San Jacinto's Farmer's Corner mall, said the separate cases involving three public groups are constantly discussed as he clips hair.

"It's a shame it all came to a head at the same time," he said. "It's a shame everyone from law enforcement to the City Council to the school board has been indicted.

"It's a shame that it reflects on our valley. This, as a reputation, does not look good on our resume."

The parade of public officials to criminal court began in late October when gregarious Robert Salgado Sr., affectionately known as Bobby, was indicted on federal felony charges of accepting kickbacks from vendors under contract at Soboba Casino. He is on leave from his duties as chairman of the San Jacinto-area tribe.

Three weeks later, Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco announced the 155-count indictments against four members of the San Jacinto City Council, four developers and a councilman's wife who serves on the San Jacinto School Board and also is executive director of the San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce.

Charges centered on Councilman Jim Ayres' unsuccessful 2006 Republican primary campaign for a state Assembly seat, the formation of the San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce funded by indicted developer Stephen Holgate, and the sale of Ayres' home to a buyer who allegedly was given money by Holgate.

The council members are accused of conspiring to launder large political donations so they could get around campaign contribution limits. Holgate provided money to start the new chamber of commerce, where Ayres' wife, Nancy Ayres, went on salary as executive director.

Trouble came in threes. The trifecta was completed Wednesday when Kevin Segawa, police chief at Mt. San Jacinto College, was indicted on charges of accepting kickbacks from a company that enjoyed the bulk of the school's towing business.

Another accusation was especially odd. Segawa, who is on paid administrative leave, was charged with taking ice cream home after it was confiscated from a street vendor on campus.

Mark Carillo, who operates the Grumps Garage hot rod parts and antique enterprise near Becerra's barbershop, said he wasn't shocked by the indictments. He thinks the three cases breaking in a short time are coincidental.

"I'm not surprised by any of it," he said. "My grandmother used to tell me that if politicians are not dirty going in, they will be dirty going out."

Maritza Weckmann, a retired pupil-services worker with the San Jacinto school district, was disappointed by accusations against public officials she knows by their first names. "I love Bobby, Jim, Nancy, Dale and John, all of them," she said.

She hopes the charges prove to be unfounded.

"I'm very disappointed and very sad," she said. "It is disappointing for all of us who live here and try to lead good lives. There is no need for it. We all need to try to live within our means."

She said the three sets of indictments are a coincidence and had nothing to do with anything unique about San Jacinto. "It happens all over, in Murrieta, Orange County, Los Angeles, New York and Washington," she said. "It happens not just in San Jacinto. It happens anywhere where people are greedy."

San Jacinto residents might as well become accustomed to the notoriety. While the indictments were announced in a wild six-week flurry, they could take a couple of years to resolve in court.

Reach Bob Pratte at 951-763-3452, bpratte@PE.com or 474 W. Esplanade Ave., San Jacinto, CA 92583.