Plea deal: Owner of West Coast Auto Craft to serve 15 years in prison

The owner of a classic car and hot shop in Windsor, who defrauded customers out of more than $900,000, will spend the next 15 years in prison.

Christopher Miranda, 43, faced 31 counts of felony grand theft and eight counts of identity theft in Sonoma County Superior Court for his business dealings at West Coast Auto Craft. In a plea deal with the District Attorney’s Office, Miranda on Tuesday pleaded no contest to 13 counts of grand theft and one count of identity theft. The plea bargain included Miranda agreeing to serve 15 years and three months in state prison.

Pamela Malfa, 36, Miranda’s girlfriend and business partner, also pleaded no contest to 12 counts of grand theft for her role in the fraudulent operation; she will serve 180 days in county jail and be placed on probation for 5 years.

Miranda has been in Sonoma County Jail since early May with bail set at $1.5 million. Malfa was released to help customers retrieve their cars, often in pieces, from the Windsor garage, police said. Miranda will be formally sentenced Nov. 21 by Judge Robert LaForge.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.