California mayor’s husband arrested for meth dealing

(Reuters) – The husband of the mayor of Montebello, California, has been

arrested on suspicion of selling methamphetamine near a school, police said on Friday.

Ruben Guerrero was arrested on Thursday while driving away from his home, his reported base of operation in the small Southern California city, said Los Angeles Sheriff Department spokesman Steve Whitmore.

Montebello Mayor Christina Cortez, the man’s wife, was not suspected of involvement, he said.

Cortez was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying she shocked by the news. “I would urge everyone and the public to let this investigation take its course,” Cortez told the paper.

Guerrero, 44, was booked on suspicion of methamphetamine and narcotics sales near a school, before being released on bail. Police searched the couple’s home, in addition to a house where the mayor’s 89-year-old grandmother lives.

Guerrero has a history of run-ins with the law, including a 1999 conviction for driving under the influence, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The paper also reported that Montebello Councilman Frank Gomez sought a restraining order against Guerrero earlier this year, saying that he had made threats twice last year.

Neither Cortez nor Guerrero could be reached for comment.