ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE
Case # 16CF0751
Date: July 5, 2017
*Defendant was out of custody after being convicted of vandalism of religious property
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A woman was sentenced to two years in county jail today for committing a hate crime, grand theft, and vandalism for stealing three gold statues from a Buddhist temple in Santa Ana.
Defendant: Trang Thu Pham, 48, Santa Ana
Pleaded guilty today to felony counts of:
- Grand theft
- Vandalism of a religious property
- Sentencing Enhancement Allegation
- Committing a hate crime
- Two years in county jail
Circumstances of the Case
- Between Feb. 26, 2016, and March 6, 2016, Pham took three separate gold Buddha statues from a Buddhist temple in Santa Ana.
- A volunteer at the temple noticed that the statues were missing and contacted Santa Ana Police Department, who investigated this case.
- The defendant was observed on surveillance cameras near the statues that were stolen from the temple and was arrested by SAPD on March 18, 2016.
Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Jess Rodriguez, Special Prosecutions Unit
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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718
Michelle Van Der Linden,Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486
