Jail Looms in Tree Case

The probation of Ojai Valley landowner William Kaddis was revoked Tuesday by a judge who ordered that he come up with at least $30,000 in fines in 30 days or face jail time for plowing down 300 protected oaks on his property.

Kaddis, 58, was convicted last year and ordered to pay $500,000 in restitution at the rate of $9,500 a month. So far, he has paid nothing despite evidence from court collections officials that the value of his property portfolio exceeds $1 million.

On the witness stand Tuesday during a probation violation hearing, Kaddis, a Los Angeles resident, angrily testified that he was broke. He also said he hadn’t earned any money at his real estate firm since authorities “conspired” to destroy him two years ago.

“You violated all my due process of law!” Kaddis yelled at Deputy Dist. Atty. Karen Wold. “My life is miserable, thanks to you and your department!”

During the hearing, Wold revealed that Kaddis, whose 44-acre Ojai Valley ranch was assessed at $627,000, had told a probation official after his conviction that he had no intention of paying a penny of the fines.

Wold said outside court that she had serious doubts Kaddis would meet his deadline in a month. “He’s failed to comply with the terms of his probation and he’s convinced that the people in this process have lied and have been involved in some sort of conspiracy against him,” Wold said.

If he doesn’t meet the deadline, he could face at least 210 days in jail. It is likely, though, that the judge will postpone any jail sentence until after Kaddis’ appeal is concluded, Wold said.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin J. McGee ruled that Kaddis owned several properties and was able to pay the court-ordered fines but had so far “woefully” failed to do so.

Additionally, McGee found that Kaddis failed to provide county collections officials access to financial records they needed to determine his income and worth.

Specifically, those officials want certain tax filings and access to any loan applications -- paperwork Kaddis contends he does not have.

Kaddis did testify Tuesday that he has given officials his wife’s latest W-2 form and one of her pay stubs, which showed she earned about $40,000 last year.

In addition to the Ojai Valley land, testimony revealed that Kaddis owned an office building, 10 acres of land, a single-family home and an apartment duplex in Los Angeles County.

Kaddis claimed he was talking to someone about selling the Ojai land for twice its assessed value, but no deal had been struck.

Meanwhile, Kaddis testified that he wants to pay the fine but can’t.

“I don’t have money to pay,” Kaddis said loudly from the witness stand.

“But you don’t want to make a deal.”