Former Limoneira Federal Credit Union Manager Sentenced For Grand Theft, Forgery

Wednesday April 03, 2024

     Updated--A former manager of the Limoneira Federal Credit Union in Santa Paula has been sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the institution.

     55-year-old Tina Louise Torres of Santa Paula was ordered to pay more than $350,000 in restitution, spend a year in the Ventura County Jail and will be on formal probation for two years after that.

     In September, Torres pleaded guilty to three counts of Grand Theft, two counts of Forgery, and three counts of Grand Theft-Embezzlement .

     She also admitted almost four dozen special allegations that were filed by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a charging document that is 14 pages long.

     According to the plea agreement, the remaining charges and special allegations listed were dismissed.

     Prosecutors said that between 2016 and 2019 Torres stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the credit union and also altered or forged documents to hide her thefts.

     The authorities say she was fired in August of 2019 when the crimes were discovered.

     She was arrested in June of 2023.

     Torres has been free on bail and will start her jail sentence on May 10th.