Hours after Stockton Unified Trustee AngelAnn Flores was sentenced on a felony fraud conviction, officials announced she had been removed from the district’s education board effective immediately.
Lawyers for Flores told Stocktonia late Monday the former education board president will challenge her removal.
The district announced in a press release earlier that afternoon that the Area 2 board trustee seat held by Flores for six years is now vacant following her July felony conviction for vehicle insurance fraud and her subsequent sentencing earlier in the day. By Monday evening, Flores had also been removed from the district’s website.
Flores, who was found guilty earlier this year of felony insurance fraud, was sentenced Monday to two years of informal probation and 45 days in jail, which will be stayed pending 120 hours of community service to be completed in one year.
Flores’ school board trustee seat became vacant upon the “conviction and entry of judgment on a felony,” per California state law, according to SUSD officials. Monday’s sentencing triggered Flores’ removal.
“Effective immediately, the Trustee position for Area 2 is considered vacant, and Ms. Flores no longer holds any duties or authority related to SUSD Board of Trustees,” Board President Kennetha Stevens said in the district’s press release. “This vacancy occurs by operation of law and does not require further action or a vote by the board.”
Mark Bowman of Bowman Law, who serves as civil counsel for Flores, said in a statement to Stocktonia that his office is working to challenge the removal from her board seat. He said the legal team is evaluating the basis of Stockton Unified’s decision to declare the position vacant.
“The initial review indicates the decision may be flawed,” Bowman said. “It is unfortunate how SUSD has responded, when it is clear the voters have spoken and appreciate her courage in standing up to corruption and for being the lone whistleblower for the theft of over $7 million.”
He also said that the community continues to support Flores.
The SUSD board will now have 60 days to replace Flores by making “a provisional appointment,” according to the board’s policies. The board is required to advertise in local media to solicit candidate applications or nominations. A board subcommittee will then review applicants, passing on those eligible for the position to the full board for public interviews. A final candidate will then be selected by a majority vote of trustees.
Flores’ sentencing and removal from the SUSD education board two months after the former trustee was convicted of felony insurance fraud. The conviction was a cap on a years-long saga that included evidence of fraud in the business practices of the county’s largest school district, the arrest of a Superior Court clerk, threats by law enforcement to investigate journalists, and multiple accusations of wrongdoing on both sides of the courtroom.
Flores, who was in the middle of serving her second term as an SUSD trustee, had faced three felony counts: one each for embezzlement and misappropriation of funds relating to alleged misuse of her district-issued credit card, and one for filing a false car insurance claim unrelated to her role at the district. After a three-week trial, she was only convicted for the latter.
At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Flores’ defense attempted to have her felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor.
“We are not asking for special treatment, but for the same treatment everyone else before AngelAnn has received,” Verber Salazar said.
However, Judge Richard Mallett, who presided over Flores’ trial, upheld the felony count Monday at the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse in Stockton.
Also, a “wobbler” motion — which would have allowed the felony to be reduced to a misdemeanor if the offense is under $950 — was withdrawn by Flores’ attorneys after the prosecution and defense returned from close-chamber discussions with the judge at the beginning of the hearing. The motion was withdrawn because the offense was worth more than $2,000 and due to the charges including making false or fraudulent claims.
In California, a “wobbler” offense is one that can be punished as either a felony or a misdemeanor. Under the state’s penal code, judges have discretion to reduce such convictions if probation is granted, often weighing factors such as criminal history, restitution and community standing.
Don Vaughn, the San Joaquin County deputy district attorney who tried the case, had sought more severe penalties than were handed down, including jail time, restitution and a fine. The prosecution also asked that Flores be subject to an “unlimited search waiver,” meaning law enforcement could search Flores without a warrant or any probable cause in the future.
During the proceedings, Vaughn characterized the offense as “sophisticated fraud,” emphasizing the timing of the insurance claim and the evidence shown in the trial. Defense attorney Tori Verber Salazar countered that Flores’s actions stemmed from economic hardship, calling the case a “crime of poverty.”
According to Verber Salazar, Flores expressed remorse and regret, apologizing publicly for her misconduct.
During the proceedings, Vaughn characterized the offense as “sophisticated fraud,” emphasizing the timing of the insurance claim and the evidence shown in the trial. Defense attorney Tori Verber Salazar countered that Flores’s actions stemmed from economic hardship, calling the case a “crime of poverty.” According to Verber Salazar, Flores expressed remorse and regret, apologizing publicly for her misconduct.
Judge Mallett, while affirming the jury’s verdict, stated that although Flores was found guilty for felony insurance fraud, the crime did not meet the threshold for “sophisticated fraud” as argued by the prosecution.
Flores will also serve two years of what is known as informal probation, which allows a person to serve their sentence without direct supervision from a probation officer. Instead, individuals are required to report directly to the court as needed — such as when submitting proof of completed requirements, paying fines or restitution, or updating contact information. Informal probation carries fewer restrictions and a lower risk of violations, as probationers are not under continuous oversight.
In addition to probation, Flores will also serve 120 hours of community service. Representatives from local organizations showed up to support Flores at her sentencing Monday morning, offering up options for her to complete her community service, including local NAACP President Bobby Bivens and Mexican Heritage Center CEO Gracie Madrid.
Flores was also ordered to pay restitution and a fine, though the amount has not yet been decided. Flores was also ordered not to drive without a valid driver’s license and auto insurance. She is also barred from carrying firearms.
“I do not deny I’ve made a huge mistake,” Flores, visibly emotional, said during the hearing, speaking directly to Judge Mallett. “I take responsibility for my actions, and I am not proud. I apologize to the people I let down.”
In a show of support inside the courtroom, community and civil rights leaders testified to Flores’s character. Bivens described her as a “servant leader” who frequently used her own resources to support children. Former Deputy District Attorney Andi Burrise shared observations from past insurance fraud cases, a division she previously oversaw, contending that similar cases have rarely led to felony charges under similar circumstances.
Also present were friends including Madrid, former Manteca Unified Trustee Ashley Drain Hampton, former Stockton Councilmember Kimberly Warmsley, and Flores’ sister Anna Flores, and showed their support.
“This is your chance to restore the community’s faith in the system,” Hampton said. “(With the felony), you’ll be putting a mark on someone who is not worthy of it.”