38 year old Heather Van Natta, a CCLTOA secretary, was placed on
administrative leave November 3, 2011 after the sitting board discovered
inaccuracies in Van Natta’s payroll and “abnormally high” association expenses.
After turning over all evidence to the Sheriff Department in December a search
warrant was issued and by January the Sheriff Dept was in receipt of Van
Natta’s bank documents. Use of direct deposits to “pad” her account was evident
in the bank statements as the board claimed never to have authorized additional
pay. Additional evidence showed personal use of homeowners association credit
cards. The net pay total exceeded $18,000 and the personal purchases
exceeded $6,000.00. Van Natta was arrested March 8, 2012, and posted $15,000
bail.
On September 14, 2012, Heather Van Natta was sentenced under penal code 487B(3), which states
‘Where the money, labor, or real or personal property is taken by a servant, agent, or employee from
his or her principal or employer and aggregates nine hundred fifty dollars ($950) or more in any 12
consecutive month period.’ She was sentenced to 5 years formal probation with 270 days jail and 2
days credit time served with a restitution to be determined.
In addition Van Natta was also sentenced on September 14, 2012 for a previous charge which she
plead no contest under Penal Code 243(d), ‘When a battery is committed against any person and
serious bodily injury is inflicted on the person, the battery is punishable by imprisonment in a
county jail not exceeding one year or imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.’
She was also sentenced under Penal Code 243E(1) - which reads in part – ‘When a battery is
committed against a spouse, a person with whom the defendant is cohabiting.’ She was sentenced to
5 years formal probation, 120 days in jail with 109 days credit time served and restitution amount
yet to be determined.
Van Natta’s sentences will be served concurrently.
By,
Charity Maness
