Retired Deputy Probation Officer pleads guilty to felony theft of public funds
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced on Thursday that retired Santa Barbara County Deputy Probation Officer Manual Edward Torres pled guilty to a felony charge of theft of public funds totaling approximately $635,000 between Jan. 1, 2009 and Jun. 30, 2019.
Torres also admitted to an enhancement that the alleged theft exceed $500,000 and admitted to aggravating factors including that the crime occurred while occupying a position of leadership, that he took advantage of a position of trust, and that the crime involved the taking of great monetary value.
Charges were originally filed in this case in Jul. of 2022 after a year-long investigation by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations.
Torres was employed by the Santa Barbara County Probation Department as a Deputy Probation Officer from 1986 until his retirement in Jul. of 2019.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the Santa Barbara County Probation Peace Officer Association (SBCPPOA) uncovered potential embezzlement by Torres following a review of financial records shortly after his retirement in 2019.
After an investigation, the District Attorney's Office determined that while serving as President of the SBCPPOA between 2009 and 2019, Torres had embezzled funds from a SBCPPOA account funded by member dues taken from member paychecks by the County and deposited into the account.
Torres is due in court for his sentencing on Jul. 26, 2023.
On Aug. 4 of 2022, Torres also pled guilty to eight counts of filing false tax returns in violation of the Revenue and Taxation Code section 19706 for tax years 2012 to 2019.
