FRESNO : 3 Plead Guilty to Corruption Charges

Three defendants charged in the FBI’s Operation Rezone investigation pleaded guilty Thursday in a plea bargain that brought the political corruption trial to an abrupt end. Former Clovis City Councilman Leif C. Sorensen admitted to extortion and obstructing justice by demanding payoffs for his vote. Realtor Jack L. Williams of Fresno pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and filing a false tax return, and his son, David M. Williams, pleaded guilty to perjury. They were among four defendants put on trial after the FBI conducted a two-year investigation into corruption in Fresno and Clovis. Jack Williams faces a sentence of 12 to 18 months, and the charge against David Williams was dropped in return for a year of probation. The fourth defendant, the Fresno-area restaurateur David M. Milutinovich, pleaded guilty Thursday to obstructing justice. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 27 months to 33 months for Sorensen.