By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor
Former public relation commissioner and aide of Mayor Jim Dear, Zeke Vidaurri, has been fighting misdemeanor charges of impersonating a city officer December 2012, according to court documents.
In February 2013, Random Lengths published a feature story outlining Vidaurri abuses of his position as public relations commissioner and his friendship with Mayor Jim Dear to improperly advance himself and his associates. Random Lengths did not know at the time of press that Vidaurri had charges against him.
The charges are the result of an October 2012 incident at the East West Bank in Carson, where Vidaurri attempted to leverage his position as a former commissioner and friend of Dear. About two weeks after the incident, Carson City Treasurer Karen Avilla received an email from the VP-Branch Manager Lea Manalad of East West Bank to head off a potential conflict. According to the email, acquired through a public records request, Vidaurri went to the Carson branch of East West Bank to cash a check. Frustrated by the length of the lines, he went to the branch manager’s office to complain.
Manalad explained to Vidaurri that they were doing their best to get the line moving and service everyone as fast as possible, according to the email.
It was then that Vidaurri shared that he was a city official, knows the mayor and has connections within the community.
He told them, “East West bank will not be happy to have a reputation on providing bad service.”
Manalad related that she apologized and thanked Mr. Vidaurri for his input.
Viduarri was indicted for the incident on Dec. 18, 2012 and an arrest warrant was issued the following day with a $2,500 bail attached.
In interviews with Random Lengths for the wide-ranging February 2013 feature story on Measure M and the Mayor, City Councilman Albert Robles said he was not familiar with Vidaurri. In March 22, 2013 Viduarri was represented by newly elected Robles, who was endorsed and supported by Dear through the March 2013 municipal election.
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