Santa Barbara Man, 48, Sentenced for Federal Fraud and Identity Theft

Charity Felch, 48, of Santa Barbara, California, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on Aug. 20, 2026. Registered under booking number 2600006682, Felch was held without bond on a felony charge categorized as a federal transfer. The booking followed a transfer into the custody of the local facility for federal authorities. According to news reports and a U.S. Department of Justice press release, Felch pleaded guilty to five counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud. The case involved the embezzlement of funds from an employer. A federal judge sentenced Felch to 111 months in prison for the offenses. Court and news records indicate Felch was convicted in this case.