Dayspring wants variance to cut 13-year max sentence, hearing delayed

April 20, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County’s marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring, who faces a 13-year maximum prison term after pleading guilty in 2021 to bribing a public official and tax fraud, is seeking a variance that could lower the amount of time he spends in prison.

In March, a probation department presentence report recommended the judge lower Dayspring’s sentence by 10 months. Dayspring responded in an April 4 filing that seeks a three level sentence reduction based on his “substantial assistance” in helping prosecutors investigate crimes perpetrated by people other than himself.

Judge André Birotte then moved Dayspring’s sentencing, which was previously scheduled to take place this week, to May 27. Dayspring remains out of jail on bail.

Dayspring admitted to paying thousands of dollars in bribes to then-San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill for favorable votes on his cannabis business interests and for deliberately failing to report millions of dollars in income to the IRS. For example, Daypring reported $1,262,894 in income in 2018, when his actual taxable income was more than $6.5 million, according to court records.

Dayspring, a high school dropout, was the majority owner of three approved retail pot shops and multiple large marijuana grows in San Luis Obispo County, as well as many cannabis businesses in other counties in California. During the past year, Dayspring transferred interest in many of his businesses to his girlfriend Valnette Garcia.