Sanchez’s Husband Fined for Vandalism

The husband of Rep. Loretta Sanchez Friday pleaded no contest to vandalism for tearing down some campaign signs in the wildly contentious 46th District congressional race.

To end the case, Stephen Brixey III agreed to the terms of the misdemeanor plea bargain and will pay $640 in fines, penalties and restitution, said Mark Logan, Anaheim’s senior assistant city attorney.

“This was not exactly the crime of the century,” said James D. Riddet, Brixey’s lawyer, who entered the plea before Municipal Judge Gregg L. Prickett.

Riddet said his client regrets the incident and was anxious to conclude the case.

Last October, Brixey admitted he ripped down two political signs of his wife’s opponent, then-Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), “out of sheer frustration over the mean-spirited personal attacks” on her by Dornan.

Dornan’s son Mark witnessed the sign destruction at Katella Avenue and Brookhurst Street in Anaheim and summoned police.

Brixey was charged with malicious mischief. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in November.

In a statement released by Sanchez campaign advisors last fall, Brixey said he had acted in frustration and anger over damage to Sanchez campaign signs, as well as Dornan’s doctoring of a photograph of his wife in campaign literature that made Sanchez appear “like a creature from ‘Night of the Living Dead.’ ”

Sanchez, a Garden Grove Democrat, ultimately defeated the controversial incumbent, who has since appealed to the House Oversight Committee to nullify the election, alleging that fraudulent ballots were cast.

“It’s not an unimportant crime and it’s one that we do take seriously,” said Logan. “It’s not a case where we were seeking to have jail time imposed, but we hope the word goes out that meddling with an election is not like a fraternity prank.”