Former manager of Limoneira Credit Union sentenced for felony grand theft and forgery
SANTA PAULA, Calif. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on Wednesday that Tina Torres has been sentenced to 365 days in Ventura County Jail, two years felony probation, and ordered to pay $354,522.08 in restitution in connection to crimes committed while she was a manager at Limoneira Federal Credit Union.
Her six-year eight-month state prison sentence was suspended, but will be imposed if Torres violates any terms of her probation or fails to report to jail explain the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Torres was ordered to begin her jail sentence on May 10, 2024, detail the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Torres previously pled guilty on Feb. 15, 2024, to eight felony counts of grand theft, forgery, and grand theft by embezzlement as well as special allegation and aggravating factors for each count state the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Torres managed Limoneira Federal Credit Union from 2016 to 2019 and used her managerial access to the financial institution's records and authority to approve wire transfers to commit her crimes.
A 2019 financial audit and later Ventura County Sheriff's Financial Crimes Unit investigation revealed that Torres paid over $26,000 of her personal bills out of the credit union's accounts and approved $225,000 in unauthorized wire transfers between January of 2016 and August of 2019 explain the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Torres obtained an $80,000 line of credit in Limoneira Federal Credit Union's name and submitted altered bank statements to the credit union's Board of Directors to conceal her fraudulent withdrawls detail the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Torres was fired in August of 2019 after the review of the audit.
Torres pled guilty to the following violations:
- Three counts of PC 487(a)-Grand Theft
- Two counts of PC 471-Make, Forge, or Alter Document
- Three counts of PC 487(a)-Grand Theft Embezzlement
Torres also pled guilty to the following special allegations:
- PC 803(c)-Statute of Limitations
- PC 186.11(a)(1)-Excessive Loss Over $100,000
- CRC 4.421(a)(3)-Victim was Vulnerable
- CRC 4.421(a)(8)-Manner in which Crime was Carried Out Indicates Planning, Sophistication, and Professionalism
- CRC 4.421(a)(9)-The Crime Involved an Attempt or Actual Taking and Damage of Great Monetarily Value
- CRC 4.421(a)(11)-The Defendant Took Advantage of a Position of Trust or Confidence to Commit the Offense
