‘Corruption will never be tolerated,’ top SLO County official says of bribery scandal
Two days after the Department of Justice announced it was charging cannabis grower Helios Dayspring for bribing late supervisor Adam Hill for favorable votes, San Luis Obispo County’s top administrator sent a message to county employees urging them to report corruption if they see it.
“It’s with extreme disappointment that I learned about former Supervisor Hill’s poor decision to participate in bribery,” Chief Administrative Officer Wade Horton wrote in an email to county workers that was provided to The Tribune.
“Corruption will never be tolerated in our organization,” he continued. “One person’s actions do not define our county team. I’m proud of the more than 800 unique services you provide our community daily. Your decision to serve our public is noble, and each of your chosen professions make an impact.”
Horton went on to remind workers that “integrity is a core value of our organization” and asked them to come forward if they see something that does not align with that value.
“If you have knowledge of actions that do not align, speak up,” he wrote. “Talk to your supervisor, manager or department head. Contact the whistleblower hotline. Call me. Our county team is resilient, and we will continue providing a high level of service to the community.”
Prosecutors charged Helios Raphael Dayspring, 35, of San Luis Obispo with one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 income tax return, when he allegedly deliberately failed to report millions of dollars to the IRS, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.
Dayspring allegedly paid the late District 3 supervisor $32,000 in cash and money orders in exchange for beneficial votes on issues related to his cannabis businesses, including those in favor of legislation that allowed cannabis grows to operate before receiving final permit approvals, the release said.
Dayspring founded two SLO County dispensaries that are now under new ownership.
This story was originally published July 30, 2021 at 5:53 PM.
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