Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez has been charged with two misdemeanors over her vote last year against a ban on marijuana.

District Attorney Lisa Green says Perez had a conflict of interest because her husband was lobbying for marijuana interests and she did not file the proper campaign finance form. The indictments come a couple months after the Perez was publicly accused during a board meeting.

Green said at Tuesday’s press conference that she also investigated similar allegations against Supervisor Mike Maggard but did not find evidence to charge him.

Perez could face a year in jail if convicted but would not have to step down. She was the lone vote against the ban last year because she said at the time that commercial marijuana would create jobs and bring in revenue.

Perez’s attorney H.A. Sala believes she’s the victim of a witch hunt because he says Bakersfield City Council member Bob Smith was never charged after he was fined by state regulators. He had lobbied for a client in front of the city Planning Commission in 2014. Green has denied Sala’s charges.

Perez is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning.

Kelli Pierce