DA's office dismisses case against Fresno City Councilman Esparza

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday it has moved to dismiss the case of attempted extortion against Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza.

The case was opened following accusations made by Councilman Garry Bredefeld in May.

This decision follows a statement made by Nelson Esparza acknowledging his actions in the events leading up to the case.

Those actions were the reason the allegations had been pursued by the District Attorney’s Office.

Based on the new discovery recently provided by Mr. Esparza, after the preliminary hearing, this decision was made in the interest of justice.

"It is important to remember that, oftentimes, the aim of the Public Integrity Unit of the District Attorney’s Office is as much about compliance as it is about prosecution, the District Attorney's office said in a statement. "It is decidedly not about influencing policy or deciding who is in office. While Mr. Esparza claims he had good intentions during his interaction with former City Attorney Doug Sloan, good intentions do not relieve our elected officials of following the law. The District Attorney’s Office hopes that Mr. Esparza has learned from this experience and can move forward a better Councilman, to continue to serve his constituents with diligence and integrity."

Esparza issued a statement following the dismissal.

"I came into this process as a free and innocent man and am coming out of the process the same way. Since the beginning of this process, I have repeatedly defended my reputation and innocence in this matter. I can finally say that the outcome was what we were expecting all along," said Council President Esparza. "It was unfortunate that we had to go through this process, but at the end of the day our justice system worked. I would like to thank my family, friends, and the resident of Fresno for their unwavering support throughout the process. Despite the circumstances over the last several months, my office and I have continued to diligently serve the residents of District 7 without interruption, and we look forward to carrying on that work."

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer also issued a statement.

“I know this issue has weighed heavily on Council President Esparza and his family. Now that charges have been dismissed, it is my hope that we will be able to move forward as we continue to serve our community.”