Former California Anchor Sentenced to Electronic Monitoring

FTVLive told you about Santa Barbara Anchor Paula Lopez and he arrest for driving drunk. 

After many delays, Lopez was finally sentenced. 

Lopez applied for and was booked into the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department electronic-monitoring program after being sentenced to serve jail time in her DUI case, authorities say.

Attorneys entered a plea deal in the case at an April hearing, and Lopez was given until July 22 to either report to County Jail to serve her 120-day sentence, or apply for and be granted a spot in the electronic-monitoring program, Chief Deputy District Attorney John Savrnoch said.

Lopez was booked into the electronic-monitoring program June 9, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said.

She said the department doesn’t disclose specific restrictions for people enrolled in the program, but participants are allowed to leave their homes to go to places of employment, education, counseling and religious services.

A Superior Court judge will review the case again on Oct. 28.

Lopez was arrested during a Sept. 6-7 incident in Goleta and subsequently charged with several misdemeanor counts, including driving under the influence and battery on a police officer.

Her attorney, Steven Andrade, and the District Attorney’s Office reached a plea deal that sentenced Lopez to 120 days in jail and a three-year probation term.

Her probation rules include finishing DUI school, continuing her therapy, not using alcohol, and taking the anti-alcohol drug Antabuse for three years, according to the DA’s Office.

H/T Noozhawk