A longtime citizen journalist in the Golden State, a man named Gary Gileno, has been charged with a misdemeanor for inquiring about why he was not allowed to videotape a local public agency hearing — which, incidentally, is subject to the state’s open meeting laws, according to the legal brief filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

If convicted, Gileno faces up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $10,000, and a permanent criminal record.

Today — Friday, April 6 — William Becker, Gileno’s attorney and the president and CEO of Freedom X, a nonprofit law firm that supports conservative causes, will be arguing on behalf of Gileno in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

LifeZette reached out to Becker for insight and learned there’s more to Gileno’s case than meets the eye.

“Gary could have paid a small fine, and this would have been over with. But had he paid the fine, he would nevertheless have a permanent criminal record, which would affect his employment options, credit, borrowing ability, and professional licensing,” said Becker.

He added, “Because Gary’s civil rights were violated, he decided to prove his innocence. As a matter of principle, a citizen journalist trying to keep government transparent by videotaping legislative commission hearings has no business having his liberty taken from him, handcuffed and detained. That’s how journalists are treated in communist countries.”

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Becker said that for several years, Gileno has been videotaping public hearings and recording agency committee members interacting with members of the public — as a check on local government. And with more than 47,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, Gileno’s videos are clearly resonating with legions of folks who rely on them to stay informed about public hearings, arrests, and other matters.

“He was entitled to film the hearing, even in a federal building that prohibits cameras inside.”

Sadly, that has come to an end — at least for now. In the meantime, Becker couldn’t help but notice how lopsided “justice” can be at times.

“Last month, ‘in the interests of justice,’ federal prosecutors in San Diego dismissed criminal charges against human traffickers who smuggled 44 people into the country,” said Becker in a press release.

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“But prosecutors here refused to drop the charges and are hellbent on making Gary an example. But of what? He was entitled to film the hearing, even in a federal building that prohibits cameras inside. A state or local legislative body can’t hide from public scrutiny by using federal property to conduct its open and public hearing.”

Elizabeth Economou is a former CNBC staff writer and adjunct professor. Follow her on Twitter.