Former aide to ex-Councilman Huizar sentenced to probation [Video]

A former aide to now-imprisoned ex-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar was sentenced Friday to federal probation for his role in a City Hall pay-to-play scheme in which real estate developers paid bribes to ensure building projects received favored treatment.

George Esparza, 38, of Boyle Heights was ordered to serve one year of home detention as part of his three-year probationary sentence. He was also ordered to pay $130,000 in restitution and perform 300 hours of community service, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Esparza was the third defendant in the Huizar case to be sentenced this week, and the third to avoid prison time.

Esparza pleaded guilty four years ago to a single count of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization statute, and agreed to cooperate in the wide-ranging federal probe.

According to his plea agreement, Esparza and Huizar took bribes from the billionaire head of …