Sanger mayor will not be charged after accusations of domestic violence, DA says
Sanger Mayor Eli Ontiveros will not face any charges after being arrested and accused of domestic violence, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said Friday.
The office reviewed reports and evidence, and considered possible defenses before determining the allegations can’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, according to Assistant District Attorney Jerry Stanley, a spokesperson for the DA’s office.
Ontiveros did not return a request for comment. He previously denied any wrongdoing.
The incident in question happened at Ontiveros’s Sanger home, but the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest, according to sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Botti.
The 44-year-old first-term mayor was booked into Fresno County Jail after being arrested Dec. 22, but was released that afternoon on a $25,000 bond, according to police.
A group of reporters spoke to Ontiveros as he walked toward a truck following his release from jail in December. He was asked a series of questions, including whether he was guilty of domestic abuse.
Ontiveros responded: “No, ma’am.”
“There was an altercation at the house,” he said. “There was an incident. .... I got handcuffed. ... We’re going to get to the bottom of that.”
Residents during a meeting in January called for Ontiveros to resign. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Democrat, released a statement the evening of the arrest also calling for his resignation.
