An executive at a local real estate development company was sentenced Tuesday for bribing a former county supervisor, Department of Justice officials announced.
Ryan Wright of Grover Beach — also known as Ryan Petetit — was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for paying former San Luis Obispo County District 3 supervisor Adam Hill.
Wright pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud when he paid Hill, who died in 2020, nearly $100,000 in bribes and gifts in exchange for official acts benefiting his company's development projects, according to prosecutors.
Hill helped Wright and his San Luis Obispo-based real estate development company, PB Companies, LLC, secure necessary approvals, including by voting on two of Wright's projects, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Hill also used his official position to influence city officials and individuals appointed to city commissions ruling on PB Companies' projects.
Money, a Volvo, and baseball
According to the indictment against him, between June 2014 and May 2017, Wright conspired with his business partner to bribe the supervisor. Those bribes included money, a leased Volvo, and a flight on a jet to watch a San Francisco Giants game. Wright allegedly funneled the bribes through the supervisor's consulting company.
Wright is also accused of presenting falsified records to the FBI when his development company was served with a federal grand jury subpoena.
Hill was found dead at his home on Aug. 6, 2020. Nearly a year later, it was revealed that Hill had accepted thousands of dollars worth of bribes from cannabis business owner Helios Dayspring. Dayspring pleaded guilty to federal charges and was sentenced to 22 months in prison. In March 2023, he was released to community confinement.
