Volunteer for Burbank school board candidate fined for alleged rival sign theft

A volunteer working for Steve Ferguson’s campaign for a seat on the Burbank Unified school board was fined $950 after pleading no contest this week to charges that he stole signs belonging to a rival candidate, officials said.

The volunteer, Scott Trinidad, was fined $200 plus penalty assessments, bringing the total to $950, said Burbank Asst. City Atty. Danny Wei.

At 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 11, surveillance footage showed Trinidad pulling up in a silver car and taking two campaign signs for school board candidate Charlene Tabet from a business in the 1200 block of West Magnolia Boulevard., according to Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn.

The business owner reported the incident three days later.

After the charges were filed, Ferguson said he had apologized to Tabet “publicly and privately because it doesn’t reflect my campaign.”

Tabet has also publicly thanked Ferguson for “taking responsibility” for the volunteer involved in the theft.

On Tuesday, Ferguson said Trinidad was playing a “reduced role” in the campaign.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.