Former Moreno Valley Councilman Marcelo Co admitted to welfare fraud charges Wednesday, July 8, and received a five-year prison sentence.

The case is separate from federal bribery charges to which Co pleaded guilty last month and was sentenced to five years in federal prison. However, as part of Co’s no contest plea, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields allowed Co to serve his penalty from the state charges in federal prison – which means he won’t face additional time.

Co resigned from the council in August 2013 after his arrest on eight felonies, including fraud and grand theft. He was accused of fraudulently collecting almost $15,000 in state and federal aid to help care for his ailing mother during a period when she was actually staying in Taiwan and the Philippines.

In court Wednesday, Co changed his previous not guilty plea to no contest, repeatedly stating so as Fields went over each charge.

Co then responded “Yes, sir,” when Fields asked if he understood that it would count as a guilty plea and if he was admitting to committing the offenses.

The judge also ordered Co to pay the nearly $15,000 in restitution.

Co, who walked with the aid of a walker because of a past stroke, declined to comment as he left court.

One of his attorneys, Ryan Okabe, said they were pleased with the plea which was negotiated with the judge.

“We believe that it’s the most equitable and just resolution to the case,” he said.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Zois Barrajas said her office sought to have Co serve a separate additional prison time for the state charges, calling his actions “egregious.”

“He took a position of trust and power and violated that,” she said.

In the federal case, Co pleaded guilty to taking a $2.36 million bribe from an undercover FBI agent posing as a real estate broker. Co had been caught on video in November 2013 accepting the largest bribe by a public official in a U.S. sting operation, authorities said at the time.

His case had been delayed after he started cooperating with investigators and because he had been hospitalized for a stroke, according to court documents.

State and federal prosecutors said last month that they were concluding their corruption investigations, which involved an April 2013 search of the homes of four council members – including Co’s – and the offices of a real estate broker and a developer.

Co must report to a federal medical facility by Oct. 30 to serve his sentence. Okabe said his client has not yet been told where he will serve his time.