Two homes in Santa Paula were the focus of a January search warrant conducted by a joint agency taskforce that seized computers, laptops, business records, cell phone bills and other evidence believed to tie Simoni to the charges filled against her.In February a District Attorney spokesman said that the Santa Paula connection hinged on records examined that indicated that one city resident was a Yak Shack employee; the other resident was believed to be the owner of the cellular business. Charges were never filed against the Santa Paula residents.Simoni could have served up to six years in state prison if convicted on the charges, which were dropped after a preliminary hearing held in late April.
SP homes searched: Cell phone business-related charges dropped
July 05, 2006
Santa Paula News
Charges against a Ventura woman related to a cellular phone business that led to a multi-agency search of two Santa Paula homes have been dropped, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s office.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesCharges against a Ventura woman related to a cellular phone business that led to a multi-agency search of two Santa Paula homes have been dropped, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s office. The two homes were searched in January in connection with the charges filed against Saundra Ann Simoni, 44 of Ventura.Simoni was charged with trade secret theft, embezzlement and perjury, the result of the joint investigation conducted by the Southern California High Tech Task Force (SCHTTF) and the Ventura Police Department.Simoni had been employed by Wholesale Cellular of Ventura for approximately 15 years prior to 2004 and investigators believed that, beginning in December 2003, she secretly helped in the start-up of a new, competing cellular phone business. The business subsequently opened in Ventura in February 2004 under the name The Yak Shack. Simoni was accused of embezzling customer purchase contracts and commissions from Wholesale Cellular and transferring the account to the Yak Shack.
