Santa Ana woman gets two years in jail for her actions against a Buddhist temple

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16CF0751

Date: July 5, 2017

WOMAN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN JAIL FOR HATE CRIME, GRAND THEFT, AND VANDALISM FOR STEALING THREE GOLD STATUES FROM BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN SANTA ANA

*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