Woman accused of stealing from man she'd befriended

The story would make a good country song: An Acampo man met a woman at a Victor bar this weekend, and they went back to his place together.

He later awoke to find that his computer, 100 CDs, credit cards and cell phone, among other items, had vanished.

Leticia Hernandez

But the next day, Sunday, he came across her at another bar — where she was trying to sell his belongings, Lodi police said.

So the country song would end on an upbeat note, with the man getting most of his property back and the woman going to jail.

There's one more twist, Sgt. Chris Jacobson said. The woman, 33-year-old Leticia Hernandez, was already in trouble with the law, and was out of jail awaiting trial on a different burglary and identity theft case.

On Tuesday, Hernandez was arraigned in court on charges of residential burglary and possession of stolen property.

Police say she and the victim met at the bar, had some drinks, and then she drove him home. At some point, he passed out.

At 1 p.m. Sunday, the man learned she was selling his belongings at Sky's Bar, 116 W. Turner Road, police said.

Hernandez left before officers arrived but Cpl. Sierra Brucia and Officer Larry Fluty found her car nearby and stopped her, Jacobson said. Inside the car, police allegedly found nearly all of the man's belongings, except the computer.

Officers somehow learned that Raymond Meraz, 27, was involved, and searched his Poplar Street home, where they found the victim's computer, Jacobson said.

Meraz was also charged Tuesday with burglary and possession of stolen property, according to court records.

Hernandez could also face a charge of committing a crime while out of jail.

On Jan. 5, she was arrested and subsequently charged with identity theft, burglary, forgery, possession of stolen property and fraud. In that case, a car was burglarized in May, but the victims didn't notice credit card fraud until months later, Jacobson said.

Hernandez was released from the San Joaquin County Jail on that case, due to a statewide court order that limits crowding in jails.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.