The ninth day of the felony trial of Stockton Unified School District trustee AngelAnn Flores opened with a wave of defense witnesses challenging the prosecution’s narrative that her actions stemmed from embezzlement.
The most explosive testimony came from Xochitl Paderes, a former colleague of 209 Times founder Motec Sanchez who testified she attended two meetings where Sanchez conspired with San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas against Flores before the former took office in 2023.
Flores is facing three felony charges: embezzlement of public funds, misuse of a district-issued credit card, and filing a false insurance claim. Prosecutors allege she used district funds for personal purchases and attempted to retroactively report a car accident to fall within a new insurance policy. Flores has pleaded not guilty, and her defense contends the case is politically motivated, citing her role as a whistleblower in a separate federal investigation into Stockton Unified School District’s financial practices.
The defense presented counterclaims of political retribution, internal discord and irregular enforcement of district policies—all pointing toward what they characterize as a broader campaign aimed at sidelining Flores from public office.
Paderes testified Thursday that she was present during two meetings between Sanchez and Freitas, in late 2021 and early 2022.
According to Paderes, the initial conversation centered around mutual interests, with Sanchez and Freitas discussing “what they could do for each other,” after Freitas decided to run for District Attorney.
She said the second meeting focused on Flores, alleging Sanchez expressed frustration with her scrutiny of district financial practices, which were “after his job” and told Freitas he wanted her “taken care of.” Paderes testified that Freitas responded, “Let me see what I can put together.”
Paderes also confirmed that previous superintendent John Ramirez, had hired “IT people” to give Sanchez access to SUSD emails so he could do surveillance on the leadership. According to her, Sanchez’ biggest concern was to “keep him out” of the investigation surrounding IAQ, where Flores was a whistleblower.
The defense introduced this testimony to support its broader claim that the case against Flores is politically motivated. However, the prosecution objected to the relevance of the statements, and the judge sustained the objection.
During cross-examination, Deputy District Attorney Don Vaughn questioned Paderes’s credibility by exploring her personal history with Sanchez. Paderes acknowledged she had filed a lawsuit against Sanchez in 2024, citing defamation and failure to pay wages.
When asked about the nature of their falling out, she testified that she had resigned from 209 Times and told Sanchez to “f**k off.” Judge Richard Mallett reminded Paderes to limit her responses to direct answers rather than narrative explanations.
Defense Casts Doubt on Motivation Behind Investigation
Earlier, former Interim Superintendent Traci Miller took the stand again and confirmed having given two interviews to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office related to the investigation.
“I believe I played whistleblower status,” Miller said.
Defense attorney Tori Verber Salazar then highlighted internal district tensions, pointing to a board email from April 2023 in which Board President Kennetha Stevens pointed out Miller for being “rogue and not accountable” over the concealment of her schedule during school visits.
Although Miller testified considering herself a whistleblower, Captain Art Harty was brought to the stand by the defense. When Salazar asked him if either Miller or Joann Juarez identified themselves as whistleblowers during the interview with the Sheriff’s office, Capt. Harty denied their allegations.
Juarez Raises Media Pressure Concerns
Juarez, interim chief business official for Stockton Unified, testified that her office received aggressive public records requests from the local outlet 209 Times, prompting concerns that district staff could be prominently featured in potentially damaging coverage.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Tori Verber Salazar introduced an email from 209 Times contributor Frank Gayaldo. The message stated, “I don’t ask questions unless I already have answers,” and threatened to report Flores’s attorney to the state bar.
The email, which requested information regarding SUSD’s alleged approval of the parking lot Sanchez was operating, included the line: “I would hate to see your staff serve time for concealing AngelAnn’s crimes.”
Juarez confirmed that both the tone of the requests and the content of the email caused alarm among district officials.
Educators Support Field-Trip Spending
Two school employees offered context for disputed charges:
Suzanne Anderson, assistant principal at Jane Frederick High School, supported a senior trip Flores arranged to Monterey Wharf for 17 students. Total cost, including a $225 meal at Domenico’s, was presented by the defense as part of legitimate enrichment efforts for students who rarely had access to such experiences. Anderson confirmed that the trip had approval from then-Principal Ryan Hesser and Trustee Flores, and that she never received complaints or concerns from administrators.
Elena Cebreros, a guidance technician at the same school, testified that Flores was “very involved” in school operations and supported district families.
Dr. Gonzalez Defends Parent-Engagement Dinner Expense
Dr. Israel Gonzalez, who served as Stockton Unified’s Director of Language Development until June 30, testified Monday in support of a $927.42 dinner bill currently under scrutiny.
The expense, incurred during the 2023 California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) conference in Long Beach, covered a meal for members of the Parent Advisory Council and DELAC, a group representing families of English learners.
Gonzalez told the court that the dinner was organized to foster inclusion among parents and staff attending the conference and had prior approval from district leadership. He said the venue—Holiday Inn’s restaurant—was selected because it was compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, noting the presence of at least one parent in a wheelchair.
The total charge included $787.22 in food costs and a $140.20 gratuity, which Gonzalez described as automatically applied due to the party’s size. He testified that he handwrote “PAC/DELAC Migrant PAC parent dinner” and “tip already added” on the receipt, which also included Flores’s name. Gonzalez said he delivered the original document to Superintendent’s Executive Assistant Christina Alejo upon returning to Stockton and confirmed that, to his knowledge, no portion of the charge was later billed to the parents or questioned by the district at the time.
Looking Ahead to Courtroom Afternoon
The trial is expected to resume this week with the return of San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Deputy Rocky Bulen, who executed the search warrant in the case. Bulen is slated to provide follow-up testimony before both sides present closing arguments, signaling the final phase of a trial that has scrutinized district spending, administrative oversight, and trustee conduct within Stockton Unified School District.