10:00 PM PST on Friday, January 15, 2010

By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise

Hearings for 15 defendants in two San Jacinto corruption cases were continued on Friday. One of the accused, developer Stephen Holgate, will ask next month to have the case against him dismissed.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Michael Donner moved the trial readiness conference for nine indicted defendants, including Holgate, to Feb. 26.

Holgate’s attorney, Paul Grech, said outside court his client will challenge the conspiratorial role the prosecution claimed the developer played in the 155-count indictment that also names four San Jacinto City Council members.

The indictment, filed in November, alleges vote buying, bribery and campaign contribution money-laundering.

Among the elected officials it names are San Jacinto city council members James Ayres, James Potts, Dale Stubblefield and John Mansperger.

Also named is Nancy Ayres, a member of the San Jacinto Unified School District board and wife of Jim Ayres.

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