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MyspaceTuesday morning, June 8, Judge Jean Dandona sentenced Denise D’Sant Angelo, found guilty of grand theft, to two years in California state prison.
D’Sant Angelo had been found guilty of stealing $2,800 from local donors whose intent was to help three nuns from Sisters of Bethany convent find housing after they were evicted from their longtime residence on Santa Barbara’s Eastside.
Paul Wellman
Defense attorney Joe Allen with client Denise D’Sant Angelo at the June 8, 2010 sentencing
D’Sant Angelo’s lawyer, Joe Allen, proposed five years of probation with no prison sentence. He argued that because the total amount of donations was significantly larger than what D’Sant Angelo stole, and because at one point D’Sant Angelo attempted to return the money, she should be given the opportunity to reform herself under probation as opposed to state prison. Allen argued that D’Sant Angelo is more than a simple con artist, as previous court reports made her out to be. He stated that her intelligence and personal resources provide her with the potential to change.
Paul Wellman
Judge Jean M. Dandona listens to arguments from prosecutor Brian Cota June 8, 2010
District Attorney Brian Cota, representing the people of Santa Barbara, countered this argument by stating that D’Sant Angelo is an adult whose values have already been molded, and therefore probation would not reform her. According to Cota, D’Sant Angelo blatantly took advantage of the nuns, and therefore does not deserve probation. He had originally sought a three-year prison sentence.
Judge Dandona ruled that because the defendant exhibited no remorse, consciously disobeyed the trust of the victims, committed perjury, was an active participant in the crime, and demonstrated sophisticated criminalization, she should not receive probation and should not be waived from her two-year prison sentence.
Previous Month
Comments
Well she's obviously not violent, good decision by the judge. Slap her with a fine, put her name in the newspaper so people who deal with her in the future have the ability to look up her past transgressions and decide whether they want to have a financial relationship with this person.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
June 8, 2010 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Probation is an insufficient deterrent and/or punishment in this case - the defendant needs to serve some state prison time. Good call by Judge Dandona.
LegendaryYeti (anonymous profile)
June 8, 2010 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was going to throw a fit (here at home of course) if she would have gotten probation. Justice was served, and all is good for the time being.
AZ2SB (anonymous profile)
June 8, 2010 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good call by Judge Dandona indeed !!!!!!!
girlslocker (anonymous profile)
June 9, 2010 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Interesting what crimes are fit to print, and which are not. Independent lets us know that a lady who stole $2800. got 2 years in prison. But why don't they tell us about child molester, Jeffrey Johnson, who molested 2 girls for 3 years, and received only 3 years in prison?? Doesn't the community deserve to know that this sick person will be back on the streets before we know it. Who chose not to print this story?? It was more interesting to read about the sentencing of an assault on Milpas St., on New Years Eve.?
I'm dissappointed in the Independent for not following thru on their coverage of crimes.
mizchif (anonymous profile)
June 9, 2010 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
mizchif- I like your way of thinking; aye, aye.
AZ2SB (anonymous profile)
June 9, 2010 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This embezzler, like others got caught.
There are no doubt other embezzlers reading these articles and posts. Best come clean while you can, because, like Cathy Latou, Laurie Lynn Sandoval, Norma Fay White, Charlene Cortez Avila, Angela Phillips, Gina Gandall and Laura Rose Tibbin, if you steal lives from people, you will get caught.
What you think is an unstoppable free ride on the backs of others is wrong. Stop now and mend your ways, or you will pay the piper.
azuresees (anonymous profile)
June 9, 2010 at 11:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For the benefit of 'mizchif' and 'AZ2SB,' you might have missed this article, published the same day as your comments:
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/...
webadmin (webadmin)
June 11, 2010 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
webadmin- Why isn't Jefferey Johnson's face plastered all over the front then? I have more fear of a child molestor getting near my daughters than an embezzeler or an overjealous husband. I might be speaking for others, but I am sure they would like to know what a child molestor, who will be back on the streets in less than two years, looks like.
AZ2SB (anonymous profile)
June 11, 2010 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)