A San Luis Obispo County judge has delayed sentencing once again for former Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate Gaea Powell, giving her newly appointed attorney time to review the case.
Powell was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday after a jury convicted her in September on eight counts connected to two previous elections. It’s the second sentencing postponement in Powell’s case.
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San Luis Obispo County prosecutors presented evidence during the trial that Powells primary residence was not in Arroyo Grande, where she was required to live to qualify for her runs for mayor in 2022 and 2024.
Powell now alleges the San Luis Obispo County Public Defenders Office has a conflict of interest in the case. Speaking with KSBY Community Reporter Jessica Roe outside court Wednesday, Powell said she believes the office is biased against her and believes she is guilty.
Judge Timothy Covell said he had no choice but to appoint an outside attorney to represent Powell.
Powell returned to court Wednesday afternoon, when Covell moved her sentencing to Dec. 16 to give her new attorney time to become familiar with the case.
KSBY reached out to the public defender’s office for comment Wednesday and was told, “Ms. Powell represented herself and was found guilty after a jury trial. Our office was not involved in her jury trial, and at her request, she sought the assistance of an attorney on the day of her scheduled sentencing. We represent all of our clients without judgment or bias against them.”
The public defender’s office tells KSBY that when a primary public defender declares a conflict, there are two conflict panels that handle cases.