Former Fresno city attorney called council president ‘pissant millennial,’ records show
Fresno County District Attorney investigators primarily used the testimony of former Fresno City Attorney Doug Sloan and three people who corroborated his story as the evidence to issue an arrest warrant for Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza on suspicion of felony extortion, according to the affidavit obtained by The Bee.
Investigators interviewed several City Hall employees in mid-May about the one-on-one conversation Sloan had with Esparza, in which Sloan alleged Esparza extorted him.
Earlier this month, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office charged Esparza with one felony count of attempted extortion and a misdemeanor attempt to violate the city charter.
Esparza has denied any wrongdoing and only addressed the issue from the dais during the July 21 Fresno City Council meeting. In his comments, he vowed to stay in office and continue to perform his duties as the city council president.
“Time and process will demonstrate that there has been no wrongdoing in this building,” Esparza said. “Taking into consideration that residents of my district have sent me to City Hall with a mandate two times over, I do fully intend to fulfill my commitment to serving my district throughout the rest of this term as well as the next one.”
Documents detail District Attorney’s investigation
According to the affidavit, Sloan told investigators Esparza threatened to fire him if he did work for councilmembers outside the council majority. The conversation between Sloan and Esparza occurred in late April, one day after a closed session meeting in which Sloan’s job performance was reviewed.
Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza, Tyler Maxwell and Esmeralda Soria, all Democrats, often form the majority vote on action items and are broadly considered the council majority. Councilmembers Garry Bredefeld is the lone Republican on the council, and Councilmembers Luis Chavez and Mike Karbassi, also Democrats, sometimes cast the swing votes.
Shortly after the one-on-one conversation, Sloan shared details with Mayor Jerry Dyer and City Manager Georgeanne White. He later shared details of the conversation with attorneys in his office.
District Attorney investigators interviewed Sloan, White and Chief Assistant Attorneys Erica Camarena, Katy Doer and Tina Griffin. Each person relayed to investigators what Sloan told them about his conversation with Esparza.
Sloan called White to tell her about the conversation, allegedly saying she wouldn’t believe what happened. A short time later, he went to her office and closed the door.
White told investigators that Sloan rarely uses profanity, but that day he told her, “If that little pissant millennial thinks that he’s going to make me violate the charter or my professional responsibility he’s got another think (sic) coming,” according to the affidavit.
White told investigators Sloan said he could not and would never violate the city charter.
Camarena, Doer and Griffin said Sloan told them about the conversation during a meeting with the chief attorneys. Doer pointed out that if Sloan did as Esparza allegedly directed, Sloan would violate the city charter. Camarena told investigators that Sloan conveyed he was leaving his job in part because of the conversation.
Councilmember first made extortion allegation
Councilmember Bredefeld first made the allegation of extortion publicly in May. Esparza since sued Bredefeld for defamation but later dropped the case.
Bredefeld said Sloan told him personally about the conversation Sloan had with Esparza.
Bredefeld circulated an email Sloan sent to an ABC30 reporter detailing his conversation with Esparza.
In the email, Sloan summarized his conversation with Esparza on April 22 this way:
NE: “I’m just going to cut to the chase. I’m standing between you and you losing your job. From now on you are to work only for the Council majority.”
DS: “So what do I do if the others ask me to do something?”
NE: “Come talk to me.”
DS: “So where is Luis on this?”
NE: “It doesn’t matter.”
End of the conversation.
“I relayed this conversation to a few people, and did not intend for it to be made public,” Sloan continued in the email.
“First, I knew there was no proof, other than credibility, that the conversation occurred. Second, I was already strongly considering the new position, and I knew in my mind one way or another, I was certainly not going to violate the Charter and professional responsibilities and not provide service to all City officials.
“It’s unfortunate this occurred, and hopefully it never will again.
“I will have nothing more to say on the matter.”
The city attorney is one of two department heads hired by the Fresno City Council. All other department heads are hired by Mayor Jerry Dyer’s administration and the city manager.
Sloan left his Fresno job at the end of May for a new job with the city of Santa Monica.
Esparza was elected to his first four-year council term representing District 7, covering much of south-central Fresno, four years ago. In last month’s primary election, he won outright for a second four-year term that will begin in January.
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 4:45 PM.