A tentative date has been set in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for the preliminary hearing of a Lompoc City Council member facing eight felony criminal charges.

In a brief hearing Wednesday morning without defendant Stephen Bridge, 68, present, the attorneys and Superior Court Judge Stephen Dunkle agreed to hold the preliminary hearing on March 19. 

That hearing allows the prosecution team to present its evidence so a judge can determine whether probable cause exists for the case to move toward a jury trial.

The attorneys are scheduled to return March 11 to confirm whether the preliminary hearing will proceed as planned the following week.

Also Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Brian Cota said he plans to file motion to amend the criminal complaint. 

Cota didn’t say whether he expects to add, drop or revise any of the charges previously filed against Bridge. 

It’s not unusual for amended criminal complaints to get filed for various reasons, including something as simple as typos or for different charges amid an ongoing investigation.

In November, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint charging Bridge with four felony counts of forgery and two felony counts of grand theft of personal property. The complaint identified the victim as the City of Lompoc in the amounts of $5,076.66 and $4,917. 

Additionally, he has been charged with fraudulent use of a contractor’s license number and identify theft related to a contractor’s license assigned to Turner and Associates. 

The forgery charges involve Odd Fellows Lodge and a business, Certain Sparks, that Bridge has ties to in Lompoc. 

Another charge is linked to an invoice purportedly from Turner Construction and submitted to one of Bridge’s companies identified in the criminal complaint as BBES, which apparently stands for Bridge Business and Entrepreneur Services.

The fourth felony forgery charge is connected to a City of Lompoc rebate program application, according to the criminal complaint.

The alleged crimes occurred between February 2024 and March 2025, according to the criminal complaint.

Bridge, who represents District 1, the northern areas of Lompoc, has served on the City Council for about a year after winning a four-year term in the November 2024 election, when he faced one challenger.

He continues to serve on the City Council while the case moves through the court system.

Bridge pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and remains out of custody.