Ex-honors president sentenced

   Former Santa Ana College honor student and Phi Theta Kappa President Alfredo Valenzuela Singh began 180 days of house arrest May 3. 

   Singh was arrested last July for stealing textbooks from the Don Bookstore and selling them to Textbook Max. 

   Singh, 48, was convicted of two counts of second-degree burglary, two thefts with prior conviction and receiving stolen property. 

   He plead guilty to five felonies and has been sentenced to six months of house arrest with an ankle bracelet and three years probation. 

   "I went to his first appearance in court," said PTK adviser Sal Addotta. "I felt that he was so good to us and me. I just felt like I should go, just to be there, just to support him by being there."

   Video surveillance confirmed Singh stealing four textbooks from the school bookstore last July. Don bookstore calculated the loss at $553.81. 

   "I can't believe other than whatever money he might have gotten, what would be the point?" Addotta said. 

   Singh was caught on video picking up four accounting books valued at $130 each. He put his back to the camera and a few seconds later walked away with his briefcase in hand. He was never seen putting the books back on the shelf. 

   Don Bookstore employee Gloria Lucio suspected Singh of stealing books the day before he was arrested. Lucio asked to check his bag, but Singh refused and walked away. Later she asked once more and he allowed her to look. All she found inside were receipts and crumpled papers. Lucio returned to where he had been standing and found a stack of books and a gym membership in Singh's name. 

   Bookstore staff confirmed on video that Singh had been stealing and called police. Textbook Max verified he had been selling books to them. Singh was arrested off campus. 

   Textbook Max owner Jeffrey Kim confirmed to Don Bookstore Manager Jaime Recinos that he had been buying textbooks from Singh for 10-12 months. 

   Singh told Textbook Max employees that campus clubs donated books he sold. Kim refused to return the four textbooks he had acquired until Santa Ana Police intervened. 

   Several Associated Student Government officers were surprised to learn about Singh's crime.

    "He had excellent grades, a name for himself on campus, and all these awards. He was an excellent person. It just doesn't make sense," said ASG President Alex Flores.  

   Singh served as PTK president from 2007-2009 and as Students for Hispanic Equal Educational Attainment president from 2008-2009.

   He was also the 2009 SAC Revival treasurer, recipient of the President's Medallion Medal for earning a 3.5 GPA or above and recipient of the prestigious Hammond Award, for which winners receive $100. In addition he was an active member of several other clubs on campus.

   Singh has a history of prior convictions and he has used nine aliases, according to police reports. 

   "We're really disappointed at what happened," Flores said. "This was the side of Alfredo that nobody knew."