Lompoc City Council Member Stephen Bridge pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to multiple charges related to the alleged misuse of city funds.
Bridge faces a total of 15 charges that include forgery, grand theft by embezzlement, fraudulent use of a contractor's license number, identity theft, and misappropriation of public funds.
In May, following the conclusion of a preliminary hearing that stretched over nearly two months, a judge found there was enough evidence presented to uphold the charges and special allegations against Bridge and move the case forward to trial.
Bridge represents Lompoc's District 1. He was elected to the council in 2024.
