 | Orange County District Attorney |
Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2009 | Susan Kang Schroeder Farrah Emami |
FELON CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY MARRYING TWO WOMEN AND STEALING MORE THAN $190,000 FROM HIS UNSUSPECTING WIVES TO PAY RESTITUTION IN PRIOR CRIMINAL CASE
SANTA ANA – A convicted felon will be arraigned tomorrow on charges of committing bigamy by marrying two women without their knowledge of his other relationship and stealing a combined $194,000 from the two victims, partly to pay restitution on his prior felony case. Craig Stevens, 49, formerly of Rancho Santa Margarita, is charged with one felony count each of bigamy, rape by belief perpetrator is spouse, grand theft by false pretense, grand theft, and sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime and financial loss over $200,000. If convicted in this case, he faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and four months in state prison. Stevens, who is currently in state prison on another case, is being held without bail and was transported from Soledad State Prison to Orange County for his scheduled arraignment tomorrow, April 3, 2009, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Criminal History
In an unrelated case, Stevens pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2008, to one felony count of grand theft for embezzling $147,000 from his employer, Balle de Match in Costa Mesa (Case #08HF0417). The defendant was sentenced to one year and four months in state prison and paid $147,000 in restitution to the victim prior to his plea.
Current Criminal Case
Stevens is accused of being married to Ann S. in Orange County. On Aug. 4, 2007, the defendant is accused of marrying Illinois resident Elizabeth D. while still married to Ann S. and committing bigamy without the knowledge of either woman.
Stevens is accused of having victim Ann S. use her property inheritance to pay the $147,000 restitution in his embezzlement case. He is accused of fraudulently obtaining $47,000 from Elizabeth D., who believed she was married to the defendant, by claiming that he needed the money to pay for his daughter’s college tuition. The defendant does not have a college-aged daughter. Stevens in accused of having sexual intercourse with Elizabeth D., who was unaware that the defendant was legally married to another woman and believed Stevens to be her spouse.
Victim Ann S. believed Stevens to be her loyal husband and would not have given him $147,000 had she known he was married to another woman at the same time.
Deputy District Attorney Jan Christie of the White Collar Crime Team is prosecuting this case.
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