Moreno Solicited Bribe 8 Years Ago, Witness Will Say
Prosecutors in the political corruption trial of Santa Ana Councilman Ted R. Moreno said Friday they will call a witness to testify that the politician solicited a bribe eight years ago.
Assistant U.S. Atty. John Hueston told the court he will call Don Blankenship, former president of the Santa Ana Police Officers’ Assn., to give evidence in the final stages of the trial next week.
Blankenship, now chief investigator for the Orange County district attorney’s office, is scheduled to testify Wednesday along with Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters.
Moreno, 32, is charged with extortion, money laundering, mail fraud and providing false statements to the FBI. He could be sentenced to a maximum of nine years in prison if convicted.
Earlier Friday, defense attorneys called Costa Mesa businessman Yosef Ibrahim to testify that he had been defrauded of $150,000 by Victor Koshkerian, a gas station owner at the center of the government’s case against Moreno.
Ibrahim said he gave the money to Koshkerian, an FBI informant, as part of a business venture to buy a gas station. Prosecutors said Koshkerian disputes the claim.
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