SAN BERNARDINO - A Chino Hills real estate agent who forged more than $900,000 in loan documents to purchase a home pleaded guilty to two felonies Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court.
As part of a plea bargain reached with prosecutors, Anita Andres Mendoza, 44, will be sentenced to 90 days in jail and be placed on probation for three years, Deputy District Attorney Vance Welch said.
She will be required to pay back $180,000 lost by a mortgage company victimized in her scheme, Welch said.
And if she violates the terms of her probation, she could be sentenced to two years in state prison, Welch said.
A judge granted Mendoza's request Friday to be released from jail, with a promise that she will return to court for sentencing Aug. 21. She had been jailed in lieu of about $1.15 million bail since her arrest on July 15.
Mendoza was accused of forging another woman's signature on home-loan documents to purchase a home in Chino Hills in 2006.
The forgery was discovered when a lending institution contacted the woman whose signature Mendoza allegedly forged.
Welch said that prosecutors offered Mendoza a relatively lenient plea bargain because she confessed completely when contacted by investigators.
"She kind of told us in her own words that (being caught) was almost a relief for her because there wasn't a moment that went by that she didn't think about this," Welch said.
"We do a lot of these types of cases, and my standard is state prison," the prosecutor added. "But this was such a different situation in that this lady came completely clean with us."
Welch said that if there was anyone besides Mendoza involved in the scheme, "We didn't really have enough to file (charges) on."
Welch said that because of her convictions, Mendoza will likely lose her real-estate license.
As part of a plea bargain reached with prosecutors, Anita Andres Mendoza, 44, will be sentenced to 90 days in jail and be placed on probation for three years, Deputy District Attorney Vance Welch said.
She will be required to pay back $180,000 lost by a mortgage company victimized in her scheme, Welch said.
And if she violates the terms of her probation, she could be sentenced to two years in state prison, Welch said.
A judge granted Mendoza's request Friday to be released from jail, with a promise that she will return to court for sentencing Aug. 21. She had been jailed in lieu of about $1.15 million bail since her arrest on July 15.
Mendoza was accused of forging another woman's signature on home-loan documents to purchase a home in Chino Hills in 2006.
The forgery was discovered when a lending institution contacted the woman whose signature Mendoza allegedly forged.
Welch said that prosecutors offered Mendoza a relatively lenient plea bargain because she confessed completely when contacted by investigators.
"She kind of told us in her own words that (being caught) was almost a relief for her because there wasn't a moment that went by that she didn't think about this," Welch said.
"We do a lot of these types of cases, and my standard is state prison," the prosecutor added. "But this was such a different situation in that this lady came completely clean with us."
Welch said that if there was anyone besides Mendoza involved in the scheme, "We didn't really have enough to file (charges) on."
Welch said that because of her convictions, Mendoza will likely lose her real-estate license.
