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Placerville Mayor Arrested On Perjury, Conspiracy Charges

PLACERVILLE, Calif. (CBS13) – Growing misconduct allegations have culminated in the arrest of Placerville Mayor Dave Machado on two felony charges, according to county prosecutors.

Machado was arrested Thursday after the El Dorado County District Attorney's office filed a criminal complaint against him for felony perjury and felony conspiracy, just a week after he apologized during a Placerville city council meeting for actions that led to accusations of misconduct in handling development funds.

The allegations have centered around a property Machado purchased in October 2010, just a couple months after the city council adopted the surrounding area as a redevelopment zone, eligible for taxpayer dollars.

Prosecutors listed 30 alleged "overt acts" that show Machado transferred the property into his son's name, used his power as mayor ton improperly influence city officials and "obtain preferential treatment," and doing illegal work on the property to "avoid detection of unpermitted work by a Placerville building inspector."

Machado's property caught fire in February, destroying the home of renter Susan Read.

"We just got done painting [my daughter's] room, and it was all gone in 24 days," Read said. "I just don't think it is okay because he has money and power to be able to be above the law."

Councilmember Wendy Mattson said she believes Machado should step down, given the serious nature of the charges.

"He cannot sit on the city council or redevelopment agency board with these allegations," Mattson said. "The citizens of Placerville have a right to trust their leadership."

Mayor Machado did not return CBS13's requests for comment Thursday. At last week's city council meeting, he said he was simply trying to help his son by loaning him money to purchase the property.
The El Dorado County District Attorney's office has arrested the mayor of Placerville on allegations of perjury and criminal conspiracy.

The criminal complaint filed Thursday says Mayor Dave Machado lied about a conflict of interest between his ownership of a property within a redevelopment zone and

Criminal complaint filed Thursday
Perjury and conspiracy

Goes back to redevelopment vote, mayor decided to buy property

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