A preliminary hearing for the Lompoc City Council member charged with various financial crimes will stretch to a fourth day as his two sons have been appointed attorneys and granted limited immunity amid questioning that raised their own potential legal issues.

Stephen “Steve” Bridge, 74, has been charged with 10 felony counts and five misdemeanors related to rebate programs through the City of Lompoc and work performed at the International Order of Odd Fellows fraternal organization, Certain Sparks Music business and his property on San Miguelito Road.

The preliminary hearing before Superior Court Judge Stephen Dunkle began Thursday afternoon, continued Friday afternoon and again Monday afternoon. Testimony is set to resume April 2.

During a preliminary hearing, the prosecuting attorney presents evidence for a judge to determine whether probable cause exists for the charges to remain and for the case to continue to trial.

In November, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint naming Bridge and identifying the victim as the City of Lompoc in the amounts of $5,076.66 and $4,917. 

An amended complaint later charged Bridge with 10 felonies, including three counts of forgery, two counts of grand theft, two counts of misappropriation of public funds, fraudulent use of a contractor’s license number, identify theft and presentation of a fraudulent claim. 

The misappropriation of public funds allegedly occurred in February 2025 and September 2025, just months after Bridge joined the City Council in December 2024.

Bridge submitted paperwork naming Turner Construction plus a contractor’s license number that expired in 1994 and was connected to an Escondido-based firm, according to the state’s website.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Cota said it appeared that the councilman tried to launder payments through one of his businesses, BBES.

Invoices submitted by Bridge included Turner Construction’s address as 1500 S. Broadway in Santa Maria. That belongs to another Bridge business, Local Copies Etc.

“That document is accurate for what we were creating it for,” Brandon Bridge said about an invoice under questioning by Cota.

At times on the witness stand, Brandon Bridge evaded answering questions, tried to verbally spar with the prosecutor or became antagonistic. He paused a handful of times to pour water in a glass and take a sip.

Brandon Bridge, a member of the Lompoc Planning Commission, also blamed city staff for not following procedures. 

He testified about creating a declaration for witnesses to sign, but under questioning by Cota, the witnesses didn’t seem to fully agree with the details in the documents. 

Steve Bridge’s attorney, Michael Scott, asked whether Brandon Bridge had been told that the work needed to be done by licensed contractors. The son answered no. 

Of the subpoenas, Scott asked, “Did you feel that was an injustice?”

“At least,” Brandon Bridge said.

Brandon Bridge also confirmed that he drafted attempted legal challenges to subpoenas seeking records from Certain Sparks Music and the International Order of Odd Fellows. The subpoenas “seemed very broad,” Brandon Bridge said. 

That sparked a question previously whether Brandon Bridge represented himself as an attorney or obstructed a law enforcement officer, prompting the possibility he could face his own legal troubles without being granted an immunity order signed by the judge. 

Another Bridge son, Scott Turner, testified about completing the work and getting paid by his dad, who submitted invoices from BBES.

However, Turner also received limited immunity and was appointed an attorney after he admitted that he received thousands of dollars for doing the work, including digging up a leaky pipe while trying to get disability for a medical problem.

Cota also questioned whether the payments, made to his father’s firm and not Turner, aimed to avoid court-ordered wage garnishment because of missed child support payments.

Scott questioned the relevance, but Cota said it pointed to motive for the various allegations.

While the brothers have been granted some immunity, they aren’t protected for perjury while testifying, Cota noted at one point.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue at 10 a.m. April 2 because of scheduling conflicts for the attorneys and judge.

Steve Bridge continues to serve on the City Council, but at the last meeting on March 3 faced renewed calls to resign from one colleague plus several members of the Lompoc High School debate team.

Councilman Jeremy Ball asked his colleagues to at least strip Bridge of his committee assignments, but the trio remained mum, with Councilman Dirk Starbuck making light of the criminal allegations by referring to himself as Juror No. 1.