Contra Costa County District Attorney resigns, pleads no contest to one perjury charge

MARTINEZ, Calif. (KGO) -- Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson pleaded no contest Wednesday to one felony charge of perjury, just hours after he resigned from office.

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These developments come less than a week after the state attorney general's office announced Peterson was under criminal investigation for illegally spending $66,000 of campaign donations on personal items and lying about it.

ABC7 News reporter Katie Utehs was in court Wednesday, where Peterson was sentenced to three years probation. He will not spend any time in jail. While he's on probation, he will not be allowed to run for public office.

Peterson was ordered to pay $300 restitution and serve 250 hours of community service. A separate civil lawsuit against him was dismissed.

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The Contra Costa County supervisors will now have to appoint an acting district attorney.