Daly City will soon be looking to replace one of its council members. Because California state law requires public officials who are found guilty of a felony to step down, a replacement for Maggie Gomez will have to be found.

The charges, felony workers’ compensation fraud, stem from an incident in 2005 where Ms. Gomez was hurt on the job and filed for workers comp. She claimed her injuries prevented her from standing for long periods of time. 

But as investigators later found out, that did not prevent her from working out at the gym or going on long shopping trips.

From the Bay Area News Group:

Daly City Councilwoman Maggie Gomez has pleaded no contest to two felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud and will be forced to step down from her post.

Gomez, 56, entered her plea Friday morning to the charges in San Mateo County Superior Court and faces up to six months in jail as part of a plea bargain, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti. The councilwoman originally faced 15 felony charges.

Under state law, elected officials are removed from their position when convicted of a felony, Rose Zimmerman, city attorney for Daly City, said Friday morning. But she wasn’t sure if that will take effect immediately or at the time of Gomez’s May 3 sentencing. Gomez was re-elected to a new term in November.

Read the full article here.