Arvin Official Accused of Misusing Funds
A Kern County grand jury indicted Arvin City Councilman Julio Perez on felony grand theft and other charges related to alleged misuse of tobacco tax grant funds at a church preschool.
Perez was charged with felony grand theft and two counts of filing false claims, said Kern County Assistant Dist. Atty. Stephen Tauzer, who refused to release details.
Perez, pastor at the Church of the Nazarene in Arvin since 1995, said the investigation stems from allegations that he used tax money that the church received to provide child-care services to buy an SUV and a travel-trailer.
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