Former SLO developer sentenced to 5 years in prison
A former San Luis Obispo County real estate developer, Ryan Wright, has been sentenced to five years for bribing a local politician nearly $95,000 in exchange for acts benefiting the company’s development projects.
Wright, 38, was sentenced on Nov. 12 by United States District Judge Percy Anderson.
Wright, formerly known as Ryan Petetit, has been in federal custody since October 2023 after pleading guilty on September 13, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
Wright was a managing member of PB Companies, LLC, a San Luis Obispo-based real estate development business, and had previously served as the company’s CEO until December 2015.
From at least June 2014 to March 2017, Wright illegally conspired to bribe Adam Hill, an elected member of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, according to the press release.
Hill represented the Third District, which included a majority of the city of San Luis Obispo, according to the press release.
Hill voted on matters appearing before the Board of Supervisors, including budget bills that affected the city, and by virtue of his elected position, had influence over matters occurring within the city and in the city’s departments and commissions, according to the press release.
According to the charges, Wright bribed Hill with money and other financial benefits in exchange for his company’s real estate development projects securing the necessary approvals.
In total, as part of this conspiracy, Wright arranged for Hill or his shell company to receive nearly $95,000 in payments, including a $10,000 wire in November 2016 just over a month after Hill voted on one of PB Companies’ projects.
Wright also paid for Hill’s flight, hotel, and front-row ticket to a Major League playoff game in San Francisco in October 2014.
Hill died in August 2020.
