Ex-Official Expected to Admit Conflict

Former Seal Beach Councilman Shawn Boyd is expected to plead guilty to a felony conflict-of-interest charge and pay a $25,000 state fine for voting on matters that benefited a business partner, according to documents filed Wednesday.

Boyd, who lost his council seat in the March election, agreed to the terms in a stipulation deal he signed last month with the state Fair Political Practices Commission, according to state records.

“This stipulation is part of a global settlement reached in cooperation with the Orange County district attorney’s office,” concludes the seven-page agreement signed by Boyd and commission Executive Director Mark Krausse.

The panel will formally adopt the terms of the agreement at its Dec. 13 meeting.

No criminal charges had been filed against Boyd as of Wednesday, and officials at the Orange County district attorney’s office declined to comment.

However, two sources knowledgeable about the case said Boyd is expected to be charged and plead guilty Dec. 13. Boyd couldn’t be reached for comment. His attorney, Allan H. Stokke, declined to comment.

The investigation into Boyd began in October 2001 after a complaint was filed by a local activist over the councilman’s relationship with developer Richard Hall, who owned the Seal Beach Trailer Park.

Between January 2001 and June 2001, Boyd voted several times to use city funds to help a nonprofit group buy the park from Hall. However, Boyd failed to disclose that he had been paid $104,000 by Hall for consulting, government-relations work and expenses.