People v. Baltas CA4/1

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On April 14, 2013, Kimberly Nelson was a resident at the Mason, an affordable

housing facility. On that day Nelson encountered Baltsas and his girlfriend. She let them

into the building. As evidence from the building's surveillance video revealed, Baltsas

stole a television and two computers from the common area of the building that night.

Nelson testified that the visit by Baltsas was a surprise. She denied using

methamphetamine that day and denied giving Baltsas permission to take property from

the building. Nelson testified she suffered from heart problems and that it would have

been impossible for her to have removed the items from the common area.

Defense

Baltsas testified that he was a drug dealer at the time and that he regularly dealt

drugs with Nelson. He said he had been to her apartment many times and that he went to

her apartment that night to collect $400 that Nelson owed him for past drug purchases.

According to Baltsas, when he arrived at Nelson's residence the television and two

computers were already in bags in her apartment. He did not care who owned the items

and took them from Nelson as payment for her drug debt.…