On the Beat
Friday, May 8, 2009
Facing Trial: These days, $2,800 may not seem like much money, but it’s enough to get Denise d’Sant Angelo a felony on her rap sheet if she’s convicted of embezzling donations intended for three Santa Barbara nuns.
Big money boys in Washington seem to heist billions without fear, but you can’t be suspected of messing with nuns in Santa Barbara without getting residents, police, and the DA’s office on your back.
Superior Court Judge Frank Ochoa ruled Wednesday, May 6, that evidence presented at a preliminary hearing was sufficient to order d’Sant Angelo to face trial on grand theft charges. The charges stem from a community effort to raise funds in late 2007, after three Sisters of Bethany were ordered to leave their longtime convent next to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Donations were aimed at helping them find a new convent.
On the Beat
D’Sant Angelo is accused of taking command of the Save Our Sisters group and receiving checks from donors, but cashing them through her personal bank account and keeping the money, said Darryl Perlin, senior deputy DA. Local attorney Mack Staton, representing the nuns pro bono, without charge, testified Wednesday that he sought an accounting after concerned citizen Ernie Salomon raised questions about where the donations were. Staton said d’Sant Angelo never turned over $2,800 or gave an accounting of donations received.
In 2007, with little notice, the L.A. Catholic Archdiocese ordered the nuns to leave the aged convent so it could be sold to help pay settlements for victims of priests’ abuse. After the nuns left Santa Barbara, the convent was razed to become part of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s expansion plans. The parish paid the Archdiocese an undisclosed amount of money; whether it was the full market value of the property is not known.
Salomon testified that his suspicions were heightened when he learned that d’Sant Angelo had “eight aliases.” She did not testify at Wednesday’s hearing and will be arraigned on May 22, when a trial date will be set.
Barney Brantingham can be reached at barney@independent.com or 805-965-5205. He writes online columns throughout the week and a print column on Thursdays.