"I do agree you have to be careful of First Amendment rights when it comes to the bribery allegations, Gonzalez Rogers said, adding that it's not clear to me that certain jury instructions typically used in such cases sufficiently address that issue. But that's an argument for another day, the judge said."
"The Sansons were indicted in April 2025 on bribery and conspiracy charges, after federal prosecutors say they tried to pay off an Antioch city councilmember and hurry along a planned 533-home subdivision. At the time, David Sanson was CEO emeritus of DeNova Homes, the homebuilding company he helped found, while Trent Sanson formerly worked there as a vice president."
"Frustrated at the progress of their Aviano subdivision, the two allegedly offered $10,000 to the councilmember in exchange for placing a key benchmark for the project on a City Council agenda and voting in favor of it, according to the indictment."
Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied a motion by Contra Costa County developers David and Trent Sanson to dismiss their bribery case, rejecting their argument that an alleged $5,000 payment to an Antioch city councilmember constituted protected campaign speech. The Sansons were indicted in April 2025 on bribery and conspiracy charges after prosecutors alleged they attempted to pay $10,000 total to a councilmember to expedite approval of their 533-home Aviano subdivision project. The cash, allegedly hidden in a coffee mug, was intended to secure the councilmember's support for placing a key project benchmark on the City Council agenda. While acknowledging First Amendment concerns in bribery cases, Judge Gonzalez Rogers found insufficient grounds to dismiss the charges, though she indicated jury instruction issues may require future legal consideration.
#bribery-charges #first-amendment-defense #real-estate-development #federal-corruption-case #campaign-contribution-dispute
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