


However, city officials said the decision would remain in place, although the business has the opportunity to seek a judicial review within 90 days. Officials said a review of the Natural Healing Center's application found that Dayspring submitted false or misleading information about his criminal misconduct, stating that he never spent money for illegal purposes, falsified any documents, or was involved in tax fraud or evasion.īefore a San Luis Obispo City Council meeting on October 19, NHC employees held a rally, encouraging city leaders to reverse the decision and allow the cannabis dispensary to open its planned storefront on Broad Street. A second location opened in Morro Bay in April.Ī third NHC location was planned in the city of San Luis Obispo, but in early October, city officials announced that the business' commercial cannabis operator permit was being terminated and it would no longer be allowed to open. It was the first NHC dispensary to open in San Luis Obispo County. The Natural Healing Center was ultimately awarded a single dispensary permit to open a storefront in Grover Beach. Shoals reportedly did not respond to the attempted bribe. Helios Dayspring, who also goes by Bobby, was sentenced on May 27 by U.S. Officials say one of those was a vote that ultimately benefited Dayspring by extending a temporary hold on enforcement of cannabis regulations for certain growers.Ĭourt documents show that Dayspring also offered Shoals $100,000 in exchange for securing two cannabis dispensary permits in the City of Grover Beach. The cannabis grower who bribed a San Luis Obispo County supervisor has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison.
Helios dayspring san luis obispo update#
San Luis Obispo County officials said a review of cannabis legislation and land use permits after the charges against Dayspring were announced found two questionable decisions that could be linked to the bribery of Hill. The City of San Luis Obispo announced Wednesday that it has terminated Natural Healing Centers commercial cannabis operator permit and the business will. Board Business - COVID Update: Update and possible action on COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County. Plus, he could be ordered to pay nearly $3.5 million in restitution to the IRS.Īccording to court documents, between 20, Dayspring paid Hill $29,000 in cash, gave him cannabis products, and paid for multiple meals with the understanding that Hill would vote and advocate for cannabis legislation beneficial to Dayspring's cannabis farms. He faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison, three years probation, and a $500,000 fine. He was initially charged in federal court in July after reportedly admitting to bribing late San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor Adam Hill, attempting to bribe former Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals, and failing to report millions of dollars in income to the IRS.ĭayspring is scheduled to be sentenced on February 11, 2022. The cannabis business owner appeared in federal court by video on Friday, Oct. He was forced to pay $3.4 million to the IRS and agreed to cooperate with the government moving forward.Īccording to a statement released by the Department of Justice, Dayspring paid bribes totaling $32,000 to a late San Luis Obispo County supervisor between 2016 to 2019 so that they would vote favorably on issues relating to his business interests.Natural Healing Center founder Helios Dayspring has pleaded guilty to bribery and filing a false income tax return.

In July of this year, Helios Dayspring, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 tax return that deliberately did not report millions in earnings. By Peter Johnson About a year before Helios Dayspring would plead guilty to felony charges of bribery and tax evasion, an attorney for the cannabis businessman sent an email to San Luis Obispo city officials. “What I can tell you is that they never would have received a permit had we known that Helios Dayspring lied on the permit application,” San Luis Obispo Public Communications Manager Whitney Szentesi said. As a result, the soon-to-be Natural Healing Center’s operating permit for San Luis Obispo has been denied as of Oct. San Luis Obispo will not be receiving its third storefront dispensary after all.Īn applicant for the city’s third available commercial cannabis permit has pleaded guilty to several crimes prior to the application period and permit being granted.
