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Press Release

Sacramento Woman Sentenced for Failure to Appear for Sentencing

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maria Santa, 41, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for failing to surrender for service of her sentence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutive to Santa’s original sentence.

According to court documents, Maria Santa was previously sentenced to 20 months in prison for mortgage fraud and was ordered to begin serving her sentence in February 2014. When her motion for bail pending appeal was denied, she fled the jurisdiction and left a note at her residence that made it appear that she had committed suicide. On August 26, 2016, Maria Santa was arrested in Sacramento as a passenger in a vehicle her husband Virgil Santa was driving. She was found in possession of an identification document belonging to her twin sister.

Virgil Santa, 43, also of Sacramento, is charged with harboring a fugitive in relation to Maria Santa’s offense. The charge is only an allegation, he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.

Updated January 24, 2018

Press Release Number: 2:16-cr-171 KJM