MP3 Audio: Alvarez Medal of Honor claim
Before he was sentenced, Alvarez told Judge R. Gary Klausner that he was "very remorseful" for his false claims of military valor.
"I'd like to apologize to everyone in this whole nation," said Alvarez, who represents south Pomona
As part of Alvarez's terms of probation, the court recommended he perform one year of community service - one day per week - at the veterans hospital in Loma Linda.
The judge threw out a term of probation that would have required Alvarez to serve five months of home detention.
The home detention may have resulted in Alvarez losing his seat on the water board. He would have automatically lost his seat with a felony conviction, but the medal charge is a misdemeanor.
His seat could have been declared vacated if he was unable to attend board meetings for three months.
The federal charge was brought against Alvarez when taped comments surfaced of a statement he made at a July 2007 meeting of the Walnut Valley Water District.
After Alvarez was introduced as a guest at the meeting, he told the assembled crowd that he was a retired Marine and a Medal of Honor winner. Alvarez never served in the military.
He agreed to plead guilty to the charge in April after a motion to dismiss the charge on constitutional grounds failed.
Alvarez, through his attorney, argued that the Stolen Valor Act, under which he was charged, violated the First Amendment because it criminalizes false speech.
Klausner told Alvarez he would be issued a harsher sentence if he was convicted of the same charge in the future.
Alvarez has 10 days to appeal his conviction on constitutional grounds. Alvarez declined to comment after the hearing.
One veteran who attended the hearing said he was upset afterward that Alvarez was not sentenced to jail for a length of time sufficient for his water board seat to be vacated.
"That's not justice," said Fred Stillions of La Verne.
Three Valleys director Bob Bowcock, who has been the most outspoken board member against Alvarez, said Monday he wished the sentence had been more strict.
"It was inappropriate what he did, and I think it should be more strict than what it is," said Bowcock, who represents La Verne and Claremont.
Bowcock also said he doubted whether Alvarez was truly remorseful for his lies of military valor.
"If he really and truly shows remorse, then he should step down," Bowcock said. "To me, that would truly show that he is remorseful."
A Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office investigation into allegations that Alvarez illegally signed up his ex-wife for district-paid health benefits is ongoing, said David Demerjian, head of the office's Public Integrity Division.
Charges brought against Alvarez in connection with the alleged theft of health benefits could potentially be a felony, meaning that a conviction would automatically disqualify Alvarez from holding public office.
Former Pomona Councilman Marco Robles announced last month that he was a member of a committee formed to recall Alvarez.
Robles did not return a call seeking comment Monday.
Bowcock said he did not believe the group had filed the necessary paperwork to begin collecting signatures, of which it needs 3,000 from Alvarez's district to place a recall measure on a future ballot, Bowcock said.
