AngelAnn Flores, a Stockton Unified School District trustee, pleaded not guilty Wednesday inside a Stockton courtroom after being accused of theft of public funds from a school district credit card and insurance fraud.
Flores was charged earlier this month with making fraudulent insurance claims, embezzlement by a public officer, grand theft of money/labor/property that exceeded $950 from school district funds, and embezzlement by a public or private officer.
Her attorney Tori Verber Salazar — who formerly served as the county district attorney — said her client will be present during a preliminary hearing starting Sept. 11 that could take up to five days.
“We believe that preliminary hearing will be able to establish that this prosecution was purely vindictive, purely politically motivated, and designed to deter any whistleblowers from coming forward,” Verber Salazar said.
During the arraignment on May 6, Verber Salazar had asked a judge to reconsider and/or remove pre-trial probation terms, which include staying 100 yards from the district.
“We believe that preliminary hearing will be able to establish that this prosecution was purely vindictive, purely politically motivated, and designed to deter any whistleblowers from coming forward.” Tori Verber Salazar, attorney for AngelAnn Flores
A judge said some terms would remain in place, but made an exception to allow Flores to appear at board meetings, conduct site meetings, and attend graduation ceremonies.
On Wednesday, a judge also approved Verber Salazar’s request to allow Flores to travel out of state to attend school district events.
Previously, Verber Salazar made allegations that $7 million was missing in funding from SUSD and questioned why San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas allegedly had been paying his public information officer, who also served as his political consultant, $267,000 over eight months with taxpayer money.
She said since she and Flores have tried ridding the county of corruption, they have both been attacked but intend to keep fighting the case.
“AngelAnn will fight every day, every day for the children in Stockton Unified School District, she will never let them down no matter how much it costs her: quitting her job, her security, her financials, everything, she will never stop fighting for those children, including taking on the most powerful two men in town — the sheriff and the DA,” Verber Salazar said.
Victoria Franco is a reporter based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. She is a Report for America corps member.
