A former Santa Barbara County probation officer has been sentenced to 11 years in state prison for embezzlement.
Manuel Torres was a county probation officer for more than 30 years. He was also President of the Santa Barbara County Probation Peace Officer Association for 20 years.
After he retired, Association officials found financial irregularities with their accounts. The notified the DA’s office. Prosecutors say an investigation showed the 67-year-old man embezzled more than $630,000 in union dues over a ten year long period.
Torres pled guilty to theft of public funds, and to tax evasion charges. In addition to the state prison sentence, he was order to pay more than a million dollars in restitution to the probation officers organization, and more than $300,000 to the state for back taxes.
