LAKEPORT >> A judge ordered the case against Samantha Christine Angulo dismissed while Jeffrey Scott Brain remains in custody on charges related to alleged fraudulent use of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office bank account.
Following a motion by the District Attorney’s office, judge Robert Crone ordered Angulo, 28 of Clearlake, released from custody. Brain, a 49-year-old also from Clearlake, faces two counts of grand theft for use of another party’s personal identification and use of an access card. He pleaded no contest to the charges.
The couple were arrested separately in September after an extensive investigation by Lake County Sheriff’s Office major crimes detectives. The investigation began when fraudulent activity was detected on the LCSO bank account. This was soon linked to instances of identity theft of a deceased person.
The approximate loss from the sheriff’s office bank account was $1,000 while $1,671 was taken from the deceased individual’s credit card.
Some of the locations, where fraudulent transactions occurred, provided video surveillance and purchase receipts, verifying Angulo and Brain were responsible for using the deceased person’s credit card. According to LCSO Lt. Steve Brooks the major crimes Unit detectives were able to obtain a telephone number which associated the card with a phone registered to the 1-year-old son of Angulo and Brain.
Angulo was arrested on a warrant, while Brain was already in custody for a separate weapons charge and parole violation.
Brain’s Defense Attorney David Markham and Angulo’s Defense Attorney Christina DiEdoardo were both present in court last wek for the calendar call hearing.
Brain remains in custody. The Court accepted Brain’s plea and referred the matter to the Probation Department for the preparation of a sentencing report and recommendation.
The matter is also referred to Veteran’s Court to determine program eligibility.
Brain was ordered to be present for his sentencing hearing on Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m. in Department Three.
