A warrant is out for a former school board candidate who failed to submit his financial disclosure statements following the 2014 municipal election.
New West resident James Pepa ran for school trustee in the 2014 civic election and, as a candidate, was required to file a financial disclosure statement outlining his campaign expenses and any donations he may have received.
But Pepa never filed a statement.
Candidates have 90 days to file disclosure statements following the voting day. If they miss the 90-day cutoff, candidates can submit statements within 30 days (120 days after the general election day) but must include a $500 late filing fee, according to the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.
Pepa missed both deadlines, and on March 17, 2015, he was charged with failing to file a disclosure statement and failing to file a disclosure statement within 90 days, according to court documents.
A court date was set for March 23, 2015, but Pepa failed to appear and on April 20, 2015, a bench warrant was issued, which means police aren’t actively searching for him, but he could be taken into custody if he comes into contact with officers.
If found guilty of the charges, Pepa could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, or both, according to the financing act. The Record contacted the Criminal Justice Branch of B.C. for information on the case, but calls have not been returned.
Pepa, who ran in the 2011 race, has also been barred from running for civic office in the 2018 municipal election, according to Elections B.C., and he’s not the only New West candidate.
Glen Armstrong, who came ninth out of 13 candidates in the 2014 school trustee election, missed the 90-day filing deadline and submitted his statement on March 11, 2015, five days before the 120-day deadline. However, Armstrong did not include the $500 late filing fee when he submitted his statement, according to Elections B.C.
He eventually paid the fee on March 20, but by then it was too late. His fee was refunded and he has been disqualified from running in 2018.
The Record contacted Pepa for comment but has not heard back.
