Noguez Remains Behind Bars; Salari Expected To Be Released On Bail Monday Night

By Brian Hews and Brian Hews

Los Angeles County Assessor John R. Noguez and controversial tax consultant Ramin Salari remain behind bars late Monday afternoon even though a judge has lowered their bail amounts.

A source inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office tell Los Cerritos Community Newspaper that Salari could be released on bail “within hours” or “sometime Monday night.”

It is believed that a $10 million estate in which Salari owns, and that is currently in escrow will not be part of the bail agreement. “The Calabasas house was not part of the bail package for Salari. Two homes of relatives, I believe a sister and his parents, were put up,” said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the DA told LCCN.

Noguez and Salari had been held on $1.4 million bail after being arrest last week on dozens of felony county of bribery, money laundering and forgery in what prosecutors claim is the “biggest political corruption case in the history of Los Angeles County.”

On Monday a judge lowered the bail amounts to $1.16 million for both Salari and Noguez, said Gibbons. “It doesn’t look like Noguez is going anywhere anytime soon. ”

District Attorney Steve Cooley also told Los Cerritos Community Newspaper in an exclusive interview last Friday that Noguez is considered a “flight risk.”

“He (Noguez) is not happy right now,” said Cooley.

Last week, a judge refused to lower bail and said the men could not post bail until they could show that the money came from a legal source.

Noguez, whose real name in Juan Reynaldo Rodriguez, is charged with 24 felony counts and is accused of accepting $185,000 in bribes from Salari.

A third defendant, Mark McNeil, who oversaw the Major Properties Division with the Assessor’s Office, and who allegedly worked hand in hand in the ring was released on bail over the weekend.

LCCN will have additional details as they develop.