Montgomery Plea Bid Denied Again

A judge Tuesday denied the latest bid by former Moorpark Councilman Scott Montgomery to withdraw his guilty pleas to conflict-of-interest charges that ruined his political career.

In a hearing that lasted less than five minutes, acting Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Hutchins refused to change his ruling forbidding Montgomery from withdrawing his pleas.

Montgomery is now scheduled to be sentenced next week and faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Montgomery admitted in October that he accepted money from a trash contractor who was doing business with the city.

But almost immediately after entering his plea, Montgomery launched a campaign to withdraw it. He has contended that prosecutors coerced him into pleading guilty.

But Hutchins has denied three formal requests to have the plea withdrawn, ruling that Montgomery was sufficiently briefed by the court and prosecutors about his rights and the consequences of his guilty plea.