WESTWOOD—On Friday, August 13, 22-year-old Nancy Salas went before the Merced County Superior Court. The ex-UCLA student, who made news earlier this year when she faked her own disappearance, was there to enter a plea of “no contest” to the misdemeanor charge of providing a false police report. Though she had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, Salas changed her plea, and as a result, received a minimal sentence, which included probation, a restitution fee and community service.
In May of this year, police began an intense two-day search for Salas after she was reported missing and her keys and cell phone were found in her home. The massive search began for the youth, with multiple police stations taking part and the case receiving media attention. After being gone for two days, the woman re-emerged in a Merced business where she placed a 911 call to report that she had been kidnapped and assaulted sexually.
Through their investigations, police discovered that the woman had been lying about her continued attendance at UCLA; although she had told friends and family otherwise, Salas hadn’t been enrolled at the university since fall 2008. The woman later recanted her police testimony and admitted that she faked her own disappearance on the eve of her presumed graduation for fear of the repercussions of the lies she had told.
Nancy Salas faces three years of unsupervised probation and 100 hours of community service, which can be completed in her hometown of Glendale. Her restitution charge of $878 will be paid to the Glendale police; however, the Merced police are not requesting any fees.
