Santa Barbara Fugitive Arrested After 10 Years on the Run

After 10 years of living under the radar under several aliases in Oakland, Susan Mangan, 58, has been tracked down and arrested by Santa Barbara police for her alleged involvement in a Santa Barbara brothel with her husband.

While Brian “Dragon” Mangan was caught and eventually found guilty of pimping and money laundering, Susan Mangan managed to escape and avoid law enforcement for 10 years, most recently living in Oakland.

The brothel was discovered in 1998, when officers responded to a home invasion robbery call. As they investigated, police determined that the Mangans were allegedly running a brother under the name “Anna’s Touch” at 221 W. Canon Perdido St. After pleading not guilty to four counts of pimping, Brian Mangan was found guilty by a Santa Barbara jury in 1999, following a trial that captivated local media and residents. He was released from prison after three years.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Joyce Dudley prosecuted Brian Mangan and will prosecute Susan Mangan. The two also apparently had a home on Spring Street, which Dudley proved during Brian Mangan’s trial was bought with ill-gained profit from the prostitution operation, and the house was forfeited.

Throughout the years the Police Department, along with the District Attorney’s Office continued to investigate her whereabouts, and finally came across solid information this summer, according to Police Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte. Detectives updated a 1998 warrant, increasing bail to $2 million, and also obtained a search warrant for her home. Detectives traveled to Oakland and arrested the woman when she left her house around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Mangan was transported back to Santa Barbara, and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of pimping, pandering, and keeping a house of ill fame. The department continues to investigate her for possible charges of identity theft.

Mangan is expected to appear in court Thursday or Friday.