When asked how she’s been in the days leading up to sentencing, Stockton Unified School District trustee AngelAnn Flores paused and smiled. “Blessed.”
On Monday, Flores will return to San Joaquin County Superior Court for sentencing in a case which could shape her future on the school board. A jury in July acquitted her of embezzlement and misappropriation charges but found her guilty of insurance fraud.
The single conviction carries a maximum of five years in state prison and a $50,000 fine under California Penal Code. Her attorneys say the case should end differently.
Defense counsels Tori Verber Salazar and Natalie Bowman have filed a motion asking Judge Richard Mallet to reduce the felony conviction to a misdemeanor. Flores’ attorneys argue this was a “crime of poverty,” a phrase from their motion that frames the conduct as driven by financial stress rather than intent to defraud.
In California, a “wobbler” offense is one that can be punished as either a felony or a misdemeanor. Under Penal Code, judges have discretion to reduce such convictions if probation is granted, often weighing factors such as criminal history, restitution and community standing.
“This is a wobbler,” Verber Salazar said. “She has no prior record, she’s paid restitution, and she’s dedicated decades to her community. Past practice supports reducing this to a misdemeanor.”
Bowman argued that treating the case as a felony would not just affect Flores personally but would also undermine the choice of her constituents.
“Her private mistake is not sufficient to remove the rights of her constituents,” Bowman said. “To keep it a felony would deprive people of the trustee they elected.”
Flores’ attorneys also point to an affidavit from former deputy district attorney Andy Burrise, who oversaw the insurance unit, attesting that similar cases have often been amended to misdemeanors once restitution was paid. They note that Judge Mallet has already referred Flores to probation, which they view as a signal the court may find the case suitable for reduction.
“This should have never gone this far,” Verber Salazar said. “We’re hoping the court sees her as a human being, not just a name in a search warrant.”
The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office has not publicly stated its recommendation, and did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for comment.
At the time of the conviction, the DA’s office released a statement saying “This conviction sends a clear message that fraud will not be tolerated, and that justice will be pursued. The office is committed to ensuring that our elected leaders are held accountable.”
The IAQ connection
Flores and her attorneys insist the trial cannot be separated from Stockton Unified’s controversial indoor air quality (IAQ) contract, a multimillion-dollar deal that drew sharp scrutiny from state officials. Flores was one of two trustees to vote against the contract, warning that the process lacked transparency and risked wasting taxpayer dollars.
Her defense argues that her dissent and her subsequent efforts to press for accountability made her a target. “None of these allegations started until after AngelAnn’s ‘no’ vote on the IAQ contract,” Verber Salazar said. “That was the trigger.”
The State Auditor’s Office has since raised concerns about the IAQ deal, noting irregularities in bidding and oversight. Flores’ legal team points to that report as proof her stance was justified, framing the prosecution as an effort to sideline a whistleblower rather than address misconduct within the district.
If the conviction remains a felony, Flores’ ability to continue serving as a trustee could be in question. Under California Government Code and Education Code, felony convictions can trigger forfeiture of public office. A misdemeanor typically does not, unless it involves official duties. Stockton Unified’s bylaws mirror state law, but any removal would require a formal declaration of vacancy by the board or a court action.
Beyond the headlines
For Flores, one of the hardest parts of the trial was seeing her story reduced to social media posts and quick takes.
“People live by headlines,” she said. “They missed a lot of the truth that came out at trial.”
She added that she often hears herself described as “brave” or “courageous” for standing up through the process. While grateful, she questions why such traits should be required to do ordinary public service.
“Why do you have to be considered brave and courageous to do the right thing? That should be the normal,” she said. “It’s time for the community to speak up or we’re going to lose our city.”
Flores’ role on the board has long made her a lightning rod in Stockton politics. During the interview, she connected her trial to what she sees as broader issues in Stockton Unified: “a culture of avoiding difficult truths.”
“Stockton Unified is the frosting on a cake that’s not edible,” she said. “We highlight the good and push the rest under the rug.”
She argued that too often, the district celebrates surface-level achievements while ignoring deeper problems: employee morale, finances and the needs of students from poverty-stricken backgrounds.
“Our leaders want us to forget the past and move forward,” she said. “But if you don’t listen to the community and to the needs of our students who don’t have support at home, are we really making a difference in student achievement?”
Even as the trial consumed her attention, Flores said she tried to stay rooted in her south Stockton community, from launching a Spanish-language parent book club to celebrating her own master’s degree. Still, she acknowledged the case muted her presence at times.
“My voice was silenced in the community and lost,” she said. “Being able to move past this and get my voice back again matters to me.”
Her attorneys stressed that she has already accepted responsibility and made restitution. For Flores, the trial has been exhausting but also clarifying. She said she is not proud of her mistake but believes accountability has revealed deeper truths.
“I’m not proud of what I did. But through my accountability, we exposed what we should all be aware of,” she said.
On Monday, Judge Mallet will weigh the defense’s motion against the recommendation from the District Attorney’s Office. The outcome could determine not only Flores’ sentence but whether she remains eligible to serve out her term.
For Flores, everything now rests with the court, and in the meantime, she returns to her parents’ words.
“My mom and dad said, ‘We ain’t quitters.’ I’ll fight until I’m no longer there.”