Fresno County teacher is trying to clear his name

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno County teacher is trying to clear his name. Presentacion Sanchez was arrested on Thursday. He's accused of using false information to serve on a local school board.

In the small town of San Joaquin, there is trouble on the Golden Plains school board. A former trustee, Presentacion Sanchez is facing criminal charges over a home address he used to serve the district.

Sanchez said, "I was shocked, I was in disbelief that those charges were filed against me."

According to the charges, the address Sanchez used to get elected last year was false. Someone filed a complaint, the district attorney followed up and a grand jury indicted Sanchez for perjury.

"The case is being proven that he really didn't live there," said Brandi Orth, who is the Fresno County Clerk, "he lived in a different district and he would not have been eligible to run in this seat."

Sanchez was serving a second term in area three of the school district. Off camera, he told Action News he missed several meetings and the board made a move to cut him out.

Sanchez says he lived in the district he served but the board changed the district lines.

We talked with several current board members. None of them wanted to be on camera but they claimed, the lines were changed based on population and not as a move to oust Sanchez.

Sanchez has resigned from the board. He has hired an attorney and he is waiting to go to court, "Before people pass judgement or crucify me," he added, "I just hope they give us time and they will see that these charges have no substance."

Sanchez is a teacher and plans to continue his career with Fresno Unified.