Hawthorne mayor charged with perjury for not disclosing source of deposits

HAWTHORNE, Calif. (KABC) -- Hawthorne Mayor Daniel Juarez was charged with four counts of perjury on Monday for allegedly depositing nearly $25,000 into his personal bank accounts without disclosing the source, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The DA's office alleges that Juarez, 60, accepted money from people and businesses between March 2009 and March 2012, telling them it would go toward his campaign or campaign debts. However, he allegedly deposited the money into his own personal accounts, according to the district attorney's office, and did not report it on forms he signed under penalty of perjury.

Juarez was originally indicted Oct. 17, 2012, on two counts of perjury by declaration for allegedly receiving $2,000 from a business to pay off campaign debts and failing to disclose it on campaign forms. He has pleaded not guilty on both counts.

Juarez denied the latest charges in court Thursday, and the judge set a new court date for Sept. 13.

If convicted, Juarez faces up to five years in state prison. He was elected to the Hawthorne City Council in 2007 and is the second Hawthorne mayor to face legal troubles.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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