Timeline: A look back on Drayman’s meandering legal woes
April 2007: Councilman John Drayman wins a seat on the City Council after leaving his position as president of the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. board of directors.
March 2010: Drayman signs a contract with National Fire Systems & Services Inc. to renovate his condominium that was damaged by water from a broken pipe. National Fire — a subcontractor for Advanced Development Inc. — would later claim in court documents that the renovation cost about $213,000.
Oct. 2010: News breaks of a federal investigation into Advanced Development Inc., an affordable housing developer that allegedly bilked millions of dollars from Glendale and other cities.
Summer 2010: National Fire Systems & Services works on Drayman’s condo. Drayman says at the time he doesn’t know National Fire was an ADI subcontractor.
March 2011: An ADI contract manager is connected to Drayman’s renovation work.
April 2011: Drayman runs for reelection and loses. National Fire files a nearly $98,000 lien against Drayman’s condo for what it claims are outstanding bills for the remodeling work.
May 2011: Police announce they are investigating embezzlement allegations made against Drayman by Montrose Shopping Park Assn. board members regarding the weekly Harvest Market. Police serve a search warrant for his condominium.
June 2011: ADI subcontractors say they are questioned by federal investigators about the work on Drayman’s home. City officials announce that proper permits were not filed for the work done. They then visit Drayman’s condo and ask him to open a portion of a wall and closet area for inspection. Building inspections are ongoing.
July 2011: National Fire files a lawsuit against Drayman to foreclose on his condo for allegedly not paying his construction bill.
December 2011: Shopping park representatives announce they expect the 2011 Harvest Market to make $140,000 in income — nearly $100,000 more than what the market reaped during the years of Drayman’s involvement.
April 2012: Glendale building officials again inspect Drayman’s home as they continue to bring the permits into compliance.
May 2012: A grand jury indicts Drayman on 28 felony counts, including a charge that he embezzled at least $304,000 and potentially nearly three times that amount from the Montrose Farmers Market. Released grand jury transcripts paint a picture of lax financial oversight of the market.
June 2012: Drayman’s attorney states in court that he can prove that someone besides the former councilman stole the Montrose Farmer’s Market funds.
August 2012: Drayman settles the lien filed by National Fire for $15,000, ending his the civil case. In court documents related to the case, National Fire claimed ADI was the lead contractor in the condo renovation.
November 2012: Claiming he needs more time to get acquainted with the case, Drayman’s new attorney, a public defender, asks for the trial date to be postponed.
February 2013: Glendale city officials say despite working with Drayman for about a year, significant parts of his condo remain out of compliance with city codes.
September 2013: Judge Stephen Marcus rejects a plea deal that involves community service and restitution but no jail time, calling the agreement “a slap on the wrist.”
March 2014: Judge Marcus rejects a second plea deal, which includes 90 days in jail, as not matching up to the crimes Drayman is accused of. A few days later, Drayman agrees to plead guilty to three felonies, pay about $300,000 in restitution and spend a year in jail.
-- Times Community News staff