U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada | U.S. Department of Justice
Two former city officials from Commerce and Baldwin Park have admitted to their roles in a bribery scheme involving cannabis permits, according to an announcement by the Justice Department. Edgar Pascual Cisneros, 42, previously the city manager of Commerce, and Robert Manuel Nacionales Tafoya, 62, who served as Baldwin Park's city attorney, both pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges.
Cisneros confessed on November 6, 2023, while Tafoya entered his plea on December 5, 2023. In addition to bribery charges, Tafoya also faced tax evasion accusations. The unsealed plea agreements reveal that both individuals have agreed to assist in ongoing investigations into public corruption.
The case revolves around actions that began after Baldwin Park started issuing marijuana permits in June 2017. Ricardo Pacheco, then a City Council member in Baldwin Park, was implicated for soliciting bribes from companies seeking these permits. Cisneros was involved in aiding a company through $45,000 worth of bribes and had been promised an additional $235,000 for securing a permit. Meanwhile, Tafoya admitted to participating in a bribery operation with Isaac Galvan, a former Compton City Councilmember.
Pacheco himself had pleaded guilty to an unrelated federal bribery charge back in June 2020 and admitted his involvement with Tafoya and Gabriel Chavez in various schemes. Chavez is scheduled for sentencing in April 2025 following his own guilty plea last year.
Further developments saw Galvan and Yichang Bai arrested in September 2023 under allegations of paying $70,000 in bribes for support regarding marijuana permits. Both have denied the charges against them; their trial is set for June next year.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are handling the ongoing inquiries into these matters. Prosecutors Thomas F. Rybarczyk, Michael J. Morse, and Lindsey Greer Dotson are leading the legal proceedings against those involved.
Individuals with relevant information about this or other corruption cases are encouraged to reach out via the FBI’s tip line or contact their Los Angeles Field Office directly.
