An Orcutt woman avoided a state prison sentence, but will serve a year in jail and five years probation after pleading no contest to burglarizing eight homes in the Santa Maria Valley last year.
Wendy Snow, 45, appeared before Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge James Voysey for the sentencing hearing Wednesday in connection with the crimes committed last summer.
Snow was arrested in September by the county Sheriff’s Department after social media users helped identify her as the suspect for a rash of burglaries.
Before handing down his sentence and after hearing from victims, Voysey told Snow that he heard very compelling reasons to send her to state prison.
“That damage will last forever,” Voysey said. “They’ve lost their security, that feeling of being secure in their home is gone. That is gone forever for those folks.”
The judge said he considered the recommendation that Snow serve probation, rather than state prison time, noting her lack of criminal history and significant mental-health issues.
Last month, Voysey ordered Snow back into jail custody after discovering she had been arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting while out on bail as she faced eight felony charges.
Voysey pledged to send her to state prison if she violates the terms of probation.
“I can tell you, Ms Snow, I haven’t been a judge that long, but I’ve been in the business for 40 years,” Voysey said. “I’ve never seen anybody get probation on eight strike offenses in my career of 40 years. Ever.
“That’s how unusual in my mind you are, but don’t take that as an indication that if you come back here that is going to be able to be used as a rationale or any kind of mitigation. Because it won’t.”
Snow spoke up and said the judge would not see her back in his courtroom, but Voysey expressed skepticism.
Deputy District Attorney Jon Kawashima had asked for a state prison sentence of 4 years and 8 months.
“She was only stopped because she was caught, so we don’t know that this was just a one-time experience,” Kawashima said. “ I think it’s somewhat, in best case, negligent to suggest that somebody who’s diagnosed as bipolar has a direct link to criminal conduct. “
“I think that is an affront to people who deal with that disease on a daily basis, and who are able to live a law-abiding life.”
Kawashima also expressed concern that Snow has been selling jewelry online as the case was pending.
Defense Attorney Brian Carroll said items offered for sale online belonged to Snow, adding that she recognized it created a negative inference. He added she was willing to turn over that jewelry to be sold for restitution to the victims.
In pleading for the judge to reject prison time, Snow’s father, Dennis Cooper, said she had weight loss surgery and required a strict regiment of diet and vitamins plus needed medication for bipolar disorder.
Her significant health issues can be treated better with a greater probability of success through probation instead of prison time, Carroll said.
He also noted his client has strong family support.
“When she was released on bail, they lined up psychiatric counseling, medical counseling, a whole number of things, which is very uncommon that someone has that significant a support structure,” Carroll said.
Burglary victims Roy and Sandy Keefer, recently added as the eighth house burglarized, spoke about the loss of jewelry including “precious memories” he gave her as gifts during their nearly 28-year marriage.
“It was a true invasion of privacy,” she said. “I feel so intruded upon I didn’t sleep for weeks not knowing if the person would come back because she didn’t take all my jewelry.”
Like some of the other victims, they now have security cameras and burglary alarms.
“Thank God to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, I got some of it back,” she said. “But some of the most valuable beautiful things I did not get back.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.