Councilman in Meth Case Says He Had “Lapse in Judgment”

A Perris City Councilman charged in connection with possession of methamphetamines told NBC4 on Tuesday that he had a lapse in judgment.

Julio Rodriguez, a 28-year-old Perris City Councilman, faces charges stemming from his arrest  at a Perris motel in June.

"It was obviously a lapse in judgment," he said. "Yes, definitely."

Standing alongside his defense attorney, Rodriguez said he couldn't go into details about what allegedly happened at a motel last June because of the felony drug charges against him.

"There's a lot I want to say and, of course, apologies I want to make but it changes the course of the criminal trial ... depending on what I say and don't say," he said.

According to an arrest warrant obtained by NBC4, Rodriguez allegedly met a male friend and another man at a Walmart parking lot.

Rodriguez is accused of selling a small amount of meth to those men in exchange for a $210 gift card.

Rodriguez offered to get the men high and have sex with them at a Perris motel, investigators said.

The trio allegedly spent about two days at the motel before the men left and Rodriguez realized his city owned iPad was missing.

He called police and Rodriguez admitted to having sex and smoking meth with the men, police said.

When officers took the report, the councilman appeared to be high and had three glass pipes with him as well as a gram of meth, police said.

"I kind of suspected but I'm just stunned," said Mayor Daryl Busch, who wants Rodriguez to resign immediately because the city can't fire him.

"The law says you're innocent until proven guilty," Busch said. "So in the meantime there's nothing we can do."

When asked if he would step down, Rodriguez said he's done a lot of good things for Perris, especially involving youth programs.

He has this message for residents.

"I hope to work towards getting you to understand more about what happened," he said. "Getting you to again believe my abilities to serve you as your city Council member."