CHULA VISTA : Accused Thief Pleads Not Guilty
A Chula Vista man accused of stealing thousands of dollars from women after promising them a romantic future pleaded not guilty Monday to 21 felony charges.
Benjamin Joseph Santos, 42, was sentenced Friday to one year in jail in another case in which he stole from a South Bay woman whom he had duped into thinking that he loved her.
“This gentleman has a habit of befriending women and persuading them to give him money for a lot of different purposes,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Phyllis Shess.
Santos is accused of stealing money and other valuables from three women--one from San Diego, another from La Mesa and a third from Ft. Worth, Tex.--from January to September. These three victims account for 11 counts of grand theft.
Additionally, Santos is charged with 10 counts of passing bad checks.
The total loss, according to prosecutors, is more than $29,000.
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