California Mayor Cody Bass gets jail time over Lake Tahoe bar fight

The mayor of a California resort town will spend 10 days in jail following an altercation with a bouncer at a bar.

Cody Bass, the mayor of South Lake Tahoe, wassentenced Tuesday to 45 days, with 35 days suspended, at the Tahoe Justice Court in Nevada, just over the border from where he serves.

He had been found guilty of a misdemeanor assault and harassment charge related to an incident at Lake Tahoe AleWorx in Stateline, Nevada, where he previously had been banned.

Bass was arrested last September 25 after he tried to kick a bouncer in the knee and allegedly threatened to “have people kill” him, KCRA 3 reported.

During his sentencing, Bass’ lawyer, Adam Spicer, said his client regretted not taking the stand during his bench trial to give his side of the story, South Tahoe Now reported.

Bass claims he was getting food from the restaurant next door to AleWorx when he passed the club’s bouncer, Bob Hoyopatubbi, and asked if they could start fresh and “put water under the bridge,” according to the report.

It was not immediately clear why the two had a strained relationship but at some point during the discussion, Bass tried to kick the bouncer in the knee.

“I should have turned my back and walked away,” Bass said in court. “I’m not a violent person.”

In a victim impact statement, Hoyopatubbi said he endured months of harassment from Bass, beginning in July 2025, and that he felt that his safety and that of his family were at risk.

“There were repeated threats against my life,” he said.

Hoyopatubbi said he lost his job at AleWorx and thinks Bass’ position led to complications at work.

Judge Richard Glasson said that someone behaving in a rough and rowdy manner shouldn’t reflect negatively on the community. He said Bass crossed the line when his actions turned into harassment.

Bass’ sentence was set to begin immediately. His lawyer asked if it could begin when his term ends in December but the request was denied.

Bass had been a member of the South Lake Tahoe City Council since 2018. He began serving as mayor in a temporary capacity last fall when then-Mayor Tamara Wallace resigned after publicly stating that she had taken about $300,000 from Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church, where she worked, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

It was not immediately clear if another member of the City Council would step into the role temporarily in Bass’ absence. The Independent has contacted the City of South Lake Tahoe for more information.

Bass will spend 10 days in Douglas County Jail in Nevada. For two years after he leaves jail, Bass must not use alcohol, marijuana or other controlled substances and is subject to search and seizure. If he does not meet the conditions, he will return to jail to serve the remaining 35 days.

He must also pay a $1,127 fine and have no contact with the assault victim. He remains banned from AleWorx.