Ex-councilman pleads not guilty

EL CENTRO — Former Calexico councilman Armando Real on Thursday entered a not guilty plea to a misdemeanor count of shoplifting that allegedly occurred in late 2018.

Real was not present during the arraignment at the county Superior Court courthouse and his not guilty plea was entered on his behalf by his counsel, he said.

Real is alleged to have deliberately attempted to pay less than the total value of food items he purchased at the self-checkout queue at the Walmart in Calexico.

Real contends he made a mistake while scanning the food items. The discrepancy was discovered by a store employee who reviews customers’ purchases and receipts as they depart the store.

Once the discrepancy was brought to his attention, Real paid the balance of the di erence and was allowed to leave, he said.

Although the incident did not result in the involvement of the store’s loss prevention representatives, it was subsequently brought to the attention of the Calexico Police Department, which then investigated, the department previously reported.

The investigation was carried out in order to determine the facts of the matter and avoid any accusations of favoritism or corruption, Chief Gonzalo Gerardo said at the time.

The department reportedly submitted its case a few months back to the county District Attorney’s Office, which then reviewed it and decided to file charges, Real said.

On Thursday, Real was also arraigned on a second misdemeanor charge of intent to commit larceny.

The second charge stems from Real’s return to the Walmart shortly after the incident, he said.

His return visit prompted a store employee to advise Real that he was not permitted to be at the store and was trespassing, Real said.

At the time of the incident, Real was nearing the final days of his fouryear term on the council, after choosing not to seek re-election.

Real maintains that the Calexico Police Department’s investigation into the alleged theft was politically motivated and retribution for his formal support of replacing the department with the services of the county Sheriff’s Office.

“This is the way of Calexico politics,” he said.