Arraignment was postponed for Denise Rachele D’Sant Angelo on Friday, December 19, at Santa Barbara Superior Court. The case was continued until January 1 to give D’Sant Angelo time to find a private attorney. D’Sant Angelo stated in court that she would not qualify for the public defender.
D’Sant Angelo is facing one count of grand theft for allegedly not turning over money donated for the Sisters of Bethany nuns. The Guatemala-based order was evicted from its Santa Barbara convent last year. Although the three displaced nuns have since relocated, D’Sant Angelo is suspected of grand theft of $2,800 in donations that have been verified, according to detective Eric Beecher.
She was released on her bail bond by Commissioner Edward DeCaro. D’Sant Angelo had already posted $50,000 bail.