Imperial Board of Education Trustee charged with two felony counts

The Imperial County District Attorney Gilbert G. Otero announced that a member of the Imperial County Board of Education has been charged with two felony counts Tuesday morning.

Annette Gonzalez Buttner has been charged with Perjury by Declaration and False Declaration of Candidacy.

The crimes were investigated by the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations and they are related to allegations that Ms. Buttner is not a resident of Imperial County.

“The District Attorney’s Office has statutory enforcement obligations under the California Political Reform Act” stated District Attorney Otero. “These laws were designed to ensure the public trust in the electoral process and it is important elected officials realize significant ongoing violations pose a threat to the integrity of an election and will be taken seriously ” Otero stated. ” Elected officials cannot claim under penalty of perjury that they reside at a specific address in order to become elected,” Otero stated.

Ms. Buttner is scheduled to appear for arraignment at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 8, at the Brawley West Court.

If convicted, Ms. Buttner faces fines and up to four years in county jail.