Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker has resigned last week after he was convicted of perjury for lying about leaking a civil grand jury report to a San Francisco 49ers executive.

After a month-long trial Becker, 39, was found guilty by a jury on Thursday of falsely denying to the Santa Clara Civil Grand Jury that he leaked its report concluding there was an unethical relationship between several council members, including Becker, and the San Francisco 49ers. 

Becker submitted his resignation letter on Friday, saying it was an honor and privilege to serve on the council.

“It was always a dream of mine to be a part of the government process, creating our city’s policies, enhancing development, and shaping the City’s direction,” Becker said in his resignation letter.

First elected to the council in 2020, Becker ran unsuccessfully for re-election in the November election. He will be replaced in the District 6 Council seat on Dec. 17, when newly-elected Council member Kelly G. Cox will be sworn in.

The charges against Becker centered around a confidential draft of a civil grand jury report titled “Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Santa Clara City Council,” which was provided to the city on Oct. 5, 2022. The report was set to be formally released on Oct. 10, but news accounts on Oct. 7 revealed details and at least one media outlet published a complete copy of the draft, prosecutors said.

The civil grand jury investigated the source of the leak and Becker denied that he had leaked it. But Rahul Chandhok, then the 49ers chief communications officer, later testified under oath that Becker sent him the report before Oct. 10.

The jury also convicted Becker of a misdemeanor for violating his duty to keep the draft report confidential. 

“The 49ers have bankrolled Becker’s political career in recent years,” the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said. “In total, the 49ers provided over $3.2 million through independent expenditure committees to benefit Becker’s 2020 successful city council campaign and his failed 2022 mayoral bid.”

Becker is due to be sentenced on Jan. 31.