Huron's Mayor Responds to Allegations | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Huron, CA On Thursday, Huron's City Hall operated without its mayor present. We spoke with /*Mayor Ramon Dominguez*/ by phone while he was on the road looking for legal representation. He tells Action News he never meant to defraud anyone.

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But Fresno County investigators disagree. They arrested Dominguez Wednesday for receiving stolen property, filing false statements and grand theft, for allegedly trying to sell property to a local church that he didn't own.

According to court documents provided by the owner of the land Dominguez began leasing the property in 2002, but it was repossessed for failure of payment in 2007.

One year later- investigators say Dominguez took $29,450 dollars from church officials for the land. The church filed suit when they realized the property didn't belong to him.

When we spoke with him by phone he says was actually buying the property and was in the process of paying it off. He tells Action News he didn't know he couldn't sell it."

Dominguez says the only reason he was arrested was because he failed to show up for a hearing that could have resolved the church law suit.

Word of the mayor's arrest spread throughout Huron. Many we spoke with would not go on camera, out of fear of retaliation by the mayor. But one woman was willing to talk. And through an interpreter, said Dominguez is no stranger to controversy. She said, "Even though he is the mayor, he's doing wrong things she wants everyone to know and see it."

During the investigation detectives searched Dominguez's home and recovered three illegal sawed off shotguns and two stolen computers from the Huron School District where he served as the grounds supervisor. The Fresno County Sheriff's Department is deciding whether to file additional charges.