People v. Adams CA4/3

Filed 12/23/25 P. v. Adams CA4/3

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS

California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION THREE

THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent, G064635

v. (Super. Ct. No. 18ZF0007)

DAVID BRENT ADAMS, OPINION

Defendant and Appellant.

Appeal from a postjudgment order of the Superior Court of Orange County, Craig E. Robison, Judge. Affirmed. Request for judicial notice. Granted. Laura Arnold, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Respondent. * * *

Defendant David Brent Adams appeals from a postjudgment order awarding $907,200.09 in restitution to his victims, Gary and Pamela Ziebarth (Adams’s uncle and aunt). Adams’s appointed counsel filed a brief pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende) and Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738 (Anders), setting forth the facts of the case and requesting that we review the entire record. Counsel also identified four specific issues to assist the court in its review. We issued an order inviting Adams to personally file a supplemental brief, which he did not do. We have examined the entire record and considered the issues suggested by counsel. Finding no arguable issue, we affirm the restitution order. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY1 In 2007, the victims, Gary and Pamela Ziebarth (the Ziebarths), co-signed a $600,000 line of credit for Adams and his wife to improve a residential property in Costa Mesa. Adams failed to repay the loan. To protect their credit, the victims paid off the entire $600,000 debt in 2008 and subsequently sued Adams civilly. The Ziebarths ultimately prevailed in their civil suit. While the civil litigation was pending, Adams engaged in a scheme to create the appearance that he had no equity in the Costa Mesa property, thereby preventing the victims from collecting on any future judgment. On December 20, 2013, Adams created a Wyoming limited liability company named “Chase One, LLC.” That same day, he recorded a fraudulent deed of trust against the property in favor of Chase One, LLC, purporting to secure a debt of $228,000. No such debt existed; Adams controlled the entity. Later that same day, Adams’s wife filed for bankruptcy.