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L.A. District Attorney’s Office Executes Search Warrants in Corruption Probe of Huntington Park Aquatic Center

"This investigation began in November 2022 and focuses on the potential misuse of millions of dollars in public funds allocated for the construction of an aquatic center at Salt Lake Park in the City of Huntington Park," the D.A.'s office said in a press release.

4:59 PM PST on February 26, 2025

A photo of the exterior of Huntington Park City Hall. The grass is green and the sky is blue. "City of Huntington Park" is written below an LED screen.

The L.A. County District Attorney's Office executed search warrants at 11 locations in Huntington Park, Glendale, Los Angeles, and Downey today in connection with an ongoing political corruption probe, according to the D.A.'s office.

"This investigation began in November 2022 and focuses on the potential misuse of millions of dollars in public funds allocated for the construction of an aquatic center at Salt Lake Park in the City of Huntington Park," the D.A.'s office said in a press release.

The D.A.'s office is calling their investigation "Operation Dirty Pond."

A list of the 11 places that the L.A. County District Attorney's Office searched today: City of Huntington Park, City Hall, 6550 Miles Ave., Huntington Park, CA City of Huntington Park Public Works (City Yard located east of Salt Lake Park), 6900 Bissell St., Huntington Park, CA Salt Lake Park (Proposed site for aquatic center), 3401 E. Florence Ave., Huntington Park, CA Residence of Edvin Tsaturyan and Sona Vardikyan (Owners of JT Construction Group, Inc.), Glendale, CA Residence of Efren Martinez (former Huntington Park City Official), Los Angeles, CA Business Office of Unified Consulting Services, LLC, Huntington Park, CA Residence of Ricardo Reyes (current Huntington Park City Manager), Downey, CA Residence of Graciela Ortiz (former Huntington Park City Councilmember), Huntington Park, CA Residence of Marilyn Sanabria (former Huntington Park City Councilmember), Huntington Park, CA Residence of Karina Macias (current Huntington Park Mayor and City Councilmember), Huntington Park, CA Residence of Eddie Martinez (current Huntington Park City Councilmember), Huntington Park, CA
A list of the 11 places that the L.A. County District Attorney's Office searched today.

Numerous potential pieces of evidence were seized during today's raids including "public records maintained by the City of Huntington Park, financial paperwork, computers, tablets, cell phones and various forms of electronic equipment."

Anyone with information related to the aquatic center at Salt Lake Park is encouraged to call Sgt. Robert L. Jackson of the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation at 213-257-2511.

This is a developing story...

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Lexis-Olivier Ray
@ShotOn35mm

Lexis-Olivier Ray is a housing, justice and culture reporter for L.A. TACO.

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