A man and woman who pleaded guilty to running a psychic scam out of a Lompoc business were sentenced to five years probation Friday morning in Lompoc Superior Court.
Anthony Davis and Gina Lee, both 30 years old, appeared in court Friday as their lawyer and a representative from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office went over the terms of their probation with Judge Rogelio Flores.
It was noted during the hearing that Davis and Lee, who had been operating the Psychic Life Coach business in Lompoc before their April 21 arrest, have already repaid $244,800 in restitution that will go to two unnamed victims, who were not in court. As per their probation, Davis and Lee will not be able to own or operate any “clairvoyant facility” for the next five years.
“I just want to put you on notice,” Flores said directly to Davis and Lee. “If I get wind that you’re doing this again, odds are I’m going to put you in prison. You’ve got five years to straighten up.”
Davis and Lee were initially taken into custody after Lompoc Police officers served a search warrant at their since-closed business, located at 1005 E. Ocean Ave., on the morning of April 21 after receiving multiple complaints about the business.
Detectives reportedly discovered $12,000 in cash and a large amount of high end jewelry.
A Los Angeles County couple that claims it was bilked out of more than $200,000 by Davis and Lee four years ago attended Friday's sentencing.
Mike and Barbara Basura were awarded a civil judgment against Davis and Lee in Los Angeles County, but no criminal charges were ever filed. An attorney representing the Basuras asked Judge Flores on Friday to add repayment to the Basuras as part of the probation terms for Davis and Lee.
Flores declined to do that — he noted that this was a criminal proceeding involving the Santa Barbara County victims — but did note that he would not grant early probation termination unless Davis and Lee repaid the Basuras. The Basuras’ claims have already passed the three-year statute of limitations for criminal prosecution.
“My heart goes out to you both,” Flores said to the Basuras.
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“I want to thank you both for coming to court today,” he later added. “My heart aches for what happened to you.”
Flores did agree for the Basuras’ lawyers to be able to obtain addresses for Davis and Lee through the Santa Barbara County probation department.
Rachel Gezerseh, an attorney with the Los Angeles-based Jones Day law firm, which took on the Basuras’ case pro bono, said after the sentencing hearing that she will continue to “aggressively” fight to have Davis and Lee repay the Basuras.
“They will come to know my name,” she said.
Mike Basura, who called Davis and Lee “predators,” said afterward that he was disappointed in the court’s decision to not add his family’s restitution claim to the probation terms. While he said he and his wife have been hopeful for repayment in the past, he said he doesn’t think they will ever be repaid.
“Today I feel that the criminals got protected and the victims got screwed,” he said.
There are still some issues outside of the criminal proceedings that need to be cleared up regarding the property where Davis and Lee operated their business.
Stephen Foley, a Santa Barbara County supervising deputy district attorney, noted Friday that the large Buddha statue that sits in front of the vacated property is still there. The property owners are trying to rent the building and apparently do not want the statue, which is alleged to have been purchased by Davis and Lee with stolen money. The victims in the case also apparently do not want it.
“If you know anybody who wants to buy that Buddha statue, that money could be used to recoup the victim’s losses,” Foley said.
