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Documented History of Corruption
2009
2009
2009
Planning Manager Garcia recommended that the Commission deviate from the agenda and hold the Closed Session Item prior to New Business and Information Items. Planning Manager Garcia reported the decision of the Planning Commission calling for City Council appointment of Efren Martinez to the Planning Commission.
2015
2009
2009
Graciela Ortiz, Karina Macias and Marilyn Sanabria voted to approve a no bid contract for the city’s transportation services to Metro Transportation Services (Later Express Transportation Services), a company owned by Efren Martinez.
2016
2009
2016
Graciela Ortiz, Karina Macias and Marilyn Sanabria and Efren Martinez devised a plan to create and monopolize the city’s cannabis business permitting process. In June of 2016 three licenses were selected out of 31 applicants. All three licenses were tied to Efren Martinez and had no previous experience running dispensaries.
2016
2016
2016
The three operators (United Health and Care System, National Compassionate Center, Goodness4Life) where all approved by Efren’s allies Graciela Ortiz, Marilyn Sanabria and Karina Macias
2016
2016
2016
A former employee reported that she was reprimanded and laid off after reporting that a cannabis dispensary connected to Martinez was operating without a license.
2016
2016
2016
Efren Martinez launches a campaign for California’s 59th Assembly District and hires Karina Macias to raise funds for him.
2016
2016
2016
Karina Macias raises over $25,000 for Martinez’s campaign from city contractors and vendors and received a commission. Several contributors later received contracts.
2017
2016
2016
In 2017a lawsuit is filed against the City of Huntington Park for unfair business practices, civil conspiracy, Rico, and violations of the First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment and the California Constitution. Lawsuit states that City Councilmembers Graciela Ortiz, Karina Macias and Marilyn Sanabria devised a fraudulent scheme to rig the
In 2017a lawsuit is filed against the City of Huntington Park for unfair business practices, civil conspiracy, Rico, and violations of the First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment and the California Constitution. Lawsuit states that City Councilmembers Graciela Ortiz, Karina Macias and Marilyn Sanabria devised a fraudulent scheme to rig the marijuana business permit process and receive kickbacks from application fees.
A District Court Judge rules Huntington Park dispensary permit process unconstitutional.
2017
2016
2017
In August 2019 the City of Huntington Park awarded a design and build NO-BID contract to JT Construction, Efren Martinez’s client, for the Salt Lake Park Aquatic Center valued at $24.5 million.
Karina Macias, Graciela Ortiz, Marilyn Sanabria and Manuel Avila voted to approve the no-bid contract.
2018
2018
2017
From 2018 to 2020 the City of Huntington Park paid more than $11 million in services contracts to companies tied to Efren Martinez.
2020
2018
2020
In December 2020 the Construction Industry Force Account Council filed a lawsuit filed challenging the award process. In August of 2021 the city council awarded the contract to JT Construction once again despite having any experience with similar projects.
2024
2018
2020
In 2024 a lawsuit was filed by a person who was a minor at the time that she worked campaigns for Efren Martinez and Graciela Ortiz.
2024
2024
2024
The suit alleged that Graciela and Efren were legally responsible for harm caused by Billy Valdivia, a campaign worker and close friend and ally of Ortiz and Martinez who sexually assaulted and intimidated her while he was acting as a campaign operative and youth volunteer coordinator.
2025
2024
2024
City issues a cease and desist to JT Construction demanding it vacate the construction site and turn all materials to the City by February 15th, 2025. JT Construction fails to vacate the site and return materials by February 15th.
2025
2025
2025
February 26th, 2025 the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Bureau of investigation executes several search warrants at 11 locations including Efren Martinez’s residence and consulting business offices, Graciela Ortiz’s residence, Marilyn Sanabria’s residence, Karina Macias’s residence and JT Construction owner, Edvin Tsaturyan’s residence.
February 26th, 2025 the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Bureau of investigation executes several search warrants at 11 locations including Efren Martinez’s residence and consulting business offices, Graciela Ortiz’s residence, Marilyn Sanabria’s residence, Karina Macias’s residence and JT Construction owner, Edvin Tsaturyan’s residence. Operation Dirty Pond, case name “Efren Martinez P20-0267”, focuses on the potential misuse of millions of dollars in public funds allocated for the construction of the Salt Lake Park Aquatics Center Project.
2025
2025
2025
The Huntington Park City Council removes Councilwoman Esmeralda Castillo, Efren Martinez's ally, because she did not live in the city.
Efren has been milking the taxpayers' dollars for years.
Efren and his clients have taken tens of millions of dollars from the city in municipal contracts that Graciela Ortiz and Karina Macias voted for.
• LAN WAN Enterprises – City’s IT Contractor
• Alvarez-Glasman & Coleman – Former City Attorney
• Express Transportation Services – City’s Transportation Company (owned by Efren Martinez )
• Nationwide Environmental Services – City’s Street Sweeping
• JT Construction – Salt Lake Park Aquatics Center Project Contractor
• Azure Development – Digital Billboard Company
• North Star Land Care – City Tree Trimming
Contractor owned by Martinez ally, Angel Sotelo.
• Mr. C’s Towing – City Towing Services Contractor
• United Pacific Waste acquired by CR&R – City Trash Contractor
• Prime Strategies, formerly Urban Associates – City Legislative Affairs Consultant
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