Richard Meaney Sentenced To Probation In Bribe Case

Richard Meaney was sentenced to one year of probation Monday morning at the Riverside Hall of Justice for bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet. Meaney had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges more than a year ago and will not be required to pay restitution to the City of Palm Springs.

The sentencing concludes Meaney's role in a corruption case that also involved Pougnet and fellow developer John Wessman. Deputy District Attorney Amy Zois alleged that Meaney and Wessman conspired to provide Pougnet with high-dollar rewards in exchange for his support of their redevelopment projects between 2012 and 2014.

Pougnet, who served as Palm Springs mayor from 2007 to 2015, pleaded guilty in June to nine counts of bribery by a public official along with other charges. He was sentenced to two years of probation in early July.

Wessman's case took a different trajectory. Last month, a Banning jury acquitted him after a three-week trial, finding him not guilty of nine counts of bribery of a public official, among other charges.

The case centered on allegations that the two developers sought to influence Pougnet's decisions on municipal redevelopment projects during his tenure as mayor.