Former Poway city council member pleads not guilty to bribery, perjury charges

A former Poway city council member accused of perjury and soliciting a bribe — prosecutors allege he asked a council colleague to swap votes — pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court on Monday.

Tony Blain, who resigned from his council seat last fall, is also accused of destruction of public documents and misdemeanor petty theft, according to the criminal complaint filed in October. He is not in custody, and faces a maximum sentence of five years and 10 months in prison if convicted as charged, according to a spokesperson at the District Attorney’s Office.

“He takes the allegations made against him seriously and looks forward to defending against them in the weeks and months ahead,” David Shapiro, one of Blain’s defense attorneys, said following the hearing. “Despite the criminal charges, and last November’s recall election results, he will always stand up for the citizens of Poway.”

No new details of the allegations were made public during the arraignment at the Central Courthouse in downtown San Diego. The charges against Blain, 59, followed a monthslong investigation by the District Attorney’s Office. They were filed about a week before a special election to recall Blain from hi...