Former private investigator Craig Case was sentenced to 26 years and eight months in state prison Tuesday after being found guilty of 63 criminal counts related to embezzling $690,000 from an elderly client.

Nancy Coglizer, the longtime assistant and bookkeeper for the victim in the financial case, was sentenced to 364 days in jail and 10 years of probation after she pleaded guilty last year to elder financial abuse and conspiracy to commit elder financial abuse.

The victim of the theft was 94-year-old Constance McCormick Fearing of Montecito, who died in 2022.

During the trial, the Santa Barbara Superior Court jury heard from Coglizer that Case, 77, repeatedly asked her for a short-term loan, without making any effort to pay back the loans.

From October 2018 to April 2021, Coglizer wrote 104 checks to Case, amounting to $690,000 stolen from Fearing, according to trial testimony.

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, David Mokros, the trustee of Fearing’s estate, read a victim impact statement to Judge Von Deroian, stating that Coglizer was supposed to shield Fearing from the very actions she made. 

He went on to say that Coglizer, 58, allowed a lack of quality care, which led Fearing’s physical and mental health to decline, and worsened conditions in her home. 

Mokros also said that Case used his status and reputation to enact his plan to rob Fearing, exploiting a frail elderly woman for his own gain. 

Deroian called the crime tragic, saying that Fearing was known to be a generous woman, and they took advantage of her generosity. She said that it was a tragedy that Fearing was victimized in this way. 

Deroian also said that she considered a prison sentence for Coglizer but decided against it because of her early admission of guilt, cooperation with prosecution, and because she did not personally benefit from the stolen money. 

During the sentencing hearing it was revealed that there is an issue of missing firearms that belonged to Case. 

Case’s attorney, George Steele, said Case claims that he gave eight firearms to a former attorney, but that person claims he only received two firearms which he turned over to the Santa Barbara Police Department. 

Deroian instructed Case to file a report about the missing weapons so they can be tracked down and aren’t floating around the community. 

In February, a Santa Barbara County Superior Court jury found Case guilty of 62 felonies and one misdemeanor, including elder theft, embezzlement, false tax filings, conspiracy, identity theft, money laundering, and grand theft of personal property. 

The jurors also found all aggravating factors to be true, including that the victim was particularly vulnerable, the crime had sophisticated planning and preparation, that Case induced others to participate in the crime, that he was in a position of leadership in the crime, that a great monetary value was stolen, and that Case was in a position of trust or confidence over the victim. 

Before his arrest in July 2023, Case appeared in his own self-produced television show, “The Inn Crowd.”

He was a private investigator and a member of numerous local boards and commissions, including the Santa Barbara Police Foundation, Santa Barbara City College and United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.

Case is scheduled to return to court May 20 for a restitution hearing. He remains in the County Jail pending transfer to state prison.

Coglizer, who was taken into custody after being sentenced, was ordered to pay $690,000 in restitution.