A retired Santa Barbara County probation officer charged with embezzlement and other felonies has pleaded not guilty.
Court records show Manuel Edward Torres, 64, entered the pleas to 15 charges and several enhancements during a continued arraignment hearing Monday in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office says the alleged crimes, including misappropriation of public funds, grand theft of money from the Santa Barbara County Probation Peace Officers Association, forgery and false personation, occurred between Jan. 1, 2009 and June 30, 2019.
Torres was arrested last week on a $500,000 arrest warrant and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail.
Court records show he was released on his own recognizance and jail logs showed he was no longer in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.
Torres is due back in court Sept. 11.
