Former Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026, to a single felony count of conflict of interest under California Government Code section 1090, ending a nine-count criminal case brought by a Riverside County grand jury the previous October.1NBC Los Angeles. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez Pleads Guilty He resigned the next day, accepted probation, and under state law is permanently barred from holding public office in California.
The Charge He Admitted To
The felony Hernandez admitted to centered on a 2023 vote he cast as mayor to approve a contract between the City of Coachella and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ Housing First program, which places chronically homeless people into temporary housing for up to 90 days. The contract committed $100,000 from the city’s general fund reserves for fiscal year 2022–23, plus a two-year memorandum of understanding providing another $100,000 per year.2City of Coachella. CVAG Housing First Program Staff Report Prosecutors alleged Hernandez had a financial interest in properties connected to the program, which Government Code section 1090 forbids: public officials cannot participate in government contracts from which they stand to benefit financially.1NBC Los Angeles. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez Pleads Guilty
Deputy District Attorney Natasha Sorace prosecuted the case for Riverside County.3Riverside County District Attorney. Coachella Mayor Guilty
What the Grand Jury Had Alleged
The October 30, 2025, indictment contained nine counts in all. Beyond the Housing First vote, prosecutors alleged Hernandez violated Government Code section 87100 through his votes and advocacy on downtown Coachella development projects.4Riverside County District Attorney. Coachella Mayor Indicted Four perjury counts accused him of knowingly submitting false gross-income information on his annual Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests filings in April 2022, March 2023, April 2024, and March 2025.5Riverside Record. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez Indicted on 9 Counts
All eight remaining counts, including the perjury charges, were dismissed under the plea agreement.6CBS News Los Angeles. Coachella Mayor Pleading Guilty to Conflict of Interest
The Sentence
Hernandez received two years of formal probation, 200 hours of community service, one day in custody credited as time served, and fines and fees.7KESQ. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez Pleads Guilty to Conflict of Interest Charge A section 1090 conviction also carries a separate, automatic consequence under California law: permanent disqualification from holding any public office in the state.3Riverside County District Attorney. Coachella Mayor Guilty He will not serve additional jail time.
Resignation and Loss of His County Job
Hernandez stepped down as mayor the day after entering his plea, with the city confirming his departure on March 25, 2026.8NBC Palm Springs. Corruption in Coachella: The Fall of Steven Hernandez The Desert Sun reported that he “agreed to resign” as part of the proceedings, though the file does not establish resignation as an explicit condition of the plea.9Desert Sun. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez Guilty
He also lost his second government job. Hernandez had been serving as chief of staff to Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, and Perez placed him on indefinite administrative leave when the indictment came down in October 2025.10KESQ. Steven Hernandez Out as Supervisor Perez’s Chief of Staff After Conviction On March 26, 2026, two days after the guilty plea, Perez’s office terminated him. “Steven Hernandez no longer works for the County of Riverside,” the statement read.11NBC Palm Springs. Riverside County Supervisor Fires Hernandez as Chief of Staff Following Guilty Plea
How Long He Had Been in Office
Hernandez was first elected to the Coachella City Council in 2006.12Desert Sun. Coachella Mayor Hernandez Shares Vision for Fourth Term In Coachella the mayor is directly elected to a two-year term, separate from the four-year council seats.13City of Coachella. How to Run for Office He had served roughly 12 years in city government by the time voters re-elected him in November 2024, when he defeated challenger Frank Figueroa by about 10.5 percentage points. That term had been set to expire in November 2026.14Desert Sun. How Will Coachella Get a New Mayor After Steven Hernandez Conviction
Who Replaced Him as Mayor
The city council had 60 days to fill the vacancy and initially deadlocked 2–2 on April 8, 2026.15NBC Palm Springs. Coachella Has a New Mayor After Weeks of Uncertainty Two weeks later, on April 22, the council voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Frank Figueroa, who had been serving as mayor pro tem and was the same challenger Hernandez defeated in 2024.16KESQ. Frank Figueroa Appointed New Coachella Mayor Figueroa holds a Doctor of Education degree and works as a financial operations manager at the University of California, Riverside; he was first elected to the city council in 2022.17Friends of the Children – Coachella Valley. Frank C. Figueroa He will serve through the end of Hernandez’s term in December 2026, with the next mayoral election in November 2026.
His move to the mayor’s chair opened his own council seat, which the council filled in June 2026 by appointing Juan Martinez from a pool of nine candidates to hold the seat through the November 2026 election.18NBC Palm Springs. Coachella City Council Votes in New Member