SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cody Bass had his day in court on Thursday after being arrested following an incident on the night of September 25, 2025. Bass had been walking by AleWorx in Stateline, Nev., when he got into an altercation with a bouncer outside the bar. At first, he had been arrested on assault, trespassing, and harassment charges, with the assault charge being dropped right away.

In Tahoe Justice Court, in front of Judge Richard Glasson in a bench trial, Bass was found not guilty on the misdemeanor trespassing charge and guilty on the harassment charge. He will be sentenced on September 1 at 9 a.m. and faces a maximum of six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or a combination of the two. A stipulation of his bail is to refrain from alcohol and marijuana, have no contact with the former AleWorx bouncer/security guard involved, “Bobby,” and not go into Stateline between the state line and Kahle Drive.

Bass’s attorney, Adam Spicer, said they will file an appeal.

“I’ve practiced law in front of Glasson for 15 years now, think he’s a fair judge,” said Spicer. “But this verdict does not align with what was presented in court.”

Videos of the Sept. 25 incident were shown several times, and they showed Bobby at his post in front of the AleWorx fire pit when Bass walked by with a drink in his hand. Bobby said Cody asked to go in, but was told he had been “trespassed” (meaning he could no longer go inside) and to move along. Cody argued with the bouncer, leading to Bobby kicking him while on the sidewalk in front of the bar. The two had several previous interactions as a result of the bouncer/security guard’s job duties, which include removing people who drink too much or don’t leave when asked.

The key to the verdict was whether the bouncer was in fear, as he said Cody threatened to kill him. Nevada statute said that it has to be a condition of harassment. Neither Bobby’s written statement about the incident nor his verbal interview with a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy on Sept. 25/26 stated he was in fear that night from Bass’s threats. His testimony Thursday included it.

Cody was the one to call 911 after the altercation, and deputies arrived a few minutes later. One witness, a second bouncer, had already left the bar and filled out his statement two days later, with his manager delivering it to the sheriff the following week.

Spicer tried to prove through the videos that nobody else in the immediate vicinity heard any yelling and threats (the videos do not have sound). He also tried to show the court that the bouncer stepped out of the Aleworx property to “square off” with Cody and get “in his face.”

Cody told the deputy he had been there to make amends to the bouncer, but the deputy didn’t believe Bass’s story after viewing the video and conducting interviews, and he was arrested.

The judge agreed with the state’s case and issued the guilty verdict.

“I respect the court’s verdict,” said Spicer. “I will be doing everything to present a good case at sentencing and will consider all legal options.”