When Fidias“Jun”Reina Jr. stepped down as CapRadio’s general manager in 2023, the Sacramento public radio station was already in freefall—layoffs, canceled music programs, and financial chaos rippling through newsrooms across the region. What nobody fully grasped then was the alleged scope of the damage: a prosecution now claims Reina orchestrated a years-long scheme to pocket roughly $1.33 million in station funds, and his case just got pushed back another three months with no plea entered.
Wednesday’s brief court hearing revealed little beyond a continuance. Reina, appearing via Zoom from what looked like a vehicle alongside his attorney Mary Ann Bird, sat silent as Sacramento County District Attorney prosecutor Dave Bass requested to bump the proceedings to September 17. Judge David Bonilla approved it without hesitation. The whole thing lasted minutes—which has become the pattern since Reina’s first appearance in February with his family in tow.
Here’s where the timeline gets grimly interesting: the alleged crimes span from December 2016 through June 2022, long before the public knew anything was wrong. The DA’s office claims Reina used unauthorized credit card charges, diverted electronic transfers to personal accounts, and systematically misappropriated station money for international travel, home renovations, and his children’s tuition. In September 2022, auditors came knocking. Reina allegedly produced a forged radio tower proposal document in response—the forgery charge that now shadows him alongside felony embezzlement and grand theft.
A CSU-commissioned forensic audit uncovered more than $760,000 in unsupported payments, with over half linked to Reina. The investigation itself took 19 months, from January 2024 to August 2025, before the DA finally filed charges in late January 2026. CapRadio’s own civil lawsuit followed last December, filed in Yolo County.
What strikes you reading this in June 2026 is the glacial pace. Reina still hasn’t entered a plea. His lawyer requested—and the judge granted—permission for a family vacation from June 6 to 12, over the prosecution’s concern he might flee. The case feels stuck in administrative limbo while Sacramento’s most trusted voice in independent media limps forward, credibility fractured and finances traumatized. The real accountability moment won’t arrive until fall at the earliest.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
