Ex-police officer pleads guilty to conspiracy

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A retired San Diego police detective pleaded guilty
Tuesday to a federal conspiracy charge for helping a Mexican millionaire
illegally funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars into San Diego political
campaigns.

Ernesto Encinas, the 57-year-old owner of a San Diego-based private
security and consulting business, also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax
return.

He faces several years in prison when he is sentenced June 9 by U.S.
District Judge Michael Anello.

Defense attorney Jeremy Warren said he hoped to save his client from jail.

“He took responsibility for what he did,” Warren said outside court
after the hearing.

Encinas, Ravneet Singh, a self-styled campaign guru who owned a
Washington, D.C.-based campaign services company, local lobbyist Marco Polo
Cortes were charged in January, accused of trying to hide the source of the
large donations to federal and local campaigns, including the 2012 mayoral
campaigns of District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Bob Filner.

Court papers indicated Encinas wanted the next mayor to fire the chief
of police and replace him with a person of Encinas' choosing in exchange for
financial help supplied by Mexican millionaire Jose Azano Matsura, who faces a
charge of campaign contributions by a foreign national.