Bling Ring members went to court last week. They expected to have a date set for their preliminary hearings. Yet, ABC News reports that defendants Nick Prugo, Rachel Lee, Courtney Ames, Alexis Neiers, Diana Tamayo, Roy Lopez Jr., and Johnny Ajar heard that the Los Angeles judge has so far declined to set a date. This is so that Deputy District Attorney Sarika Kapoor could cut deals with some of the defendants.
Many Los Angeles community members are surprised by the potential plea deals and the lack of progress on this case. The defendants were supposed to have their preliminary hearing date set last January. The young adults, whose ages range from 19 to 27, all pleaded not guilty to the burglary charges of several celebrities last December.
The string of celebrity burglaries started in 2008. Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom, and Brian Austin Green all allegedly had items stolen by at least one of the Bling Ring members. New York Daily News recently reported that 19-year-old Rachel Lee is suspected of being the mastermind and leader among the Bling Ring members.
Ms. Lee, who is being represented by Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Peter Korn, faces three charges of felony burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property. While police have been able to recover some of the stolen property, officials say that there can still be up to $2 million dollars worth of property that has yet to be recovered. Each of the suspects faces multiple years in prison if convicted.
Related Resources:
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Members Of "Bling Ring" Plead Not Guilty (Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog)
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Nicky Hilton's House Burglarized in Alleged Celebrity Bling Ring (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice Blog)
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