Newport Man Skips, Misses Guilty Verdict

A Newport Beach man on trial on charges of taking more than $1 million worth of valuables in a series of home burglaries in Newport Beach slipped through police surveillance while out on bail, disappearing before the jury returned a guilty verdict, authorities said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jan Sturla said that Richard Pagnini, 31, of Newport Beach missed both his own lawyer’s closing argument and the jury’s guilty verdict Friday by apparently jumping over a back fence at his brother’s home in Costa Mesa on Thursday night.

Sturla said police had been following Pagnini because they suspected he might flee.

All-Points Bulletin

Superior Court Judge Robert Fitzgerald issued a bench warrant for Pagnini’s arrest after defense attorney James Stotler said he did not know his client’s whereabouts.

Newport Beach police issued an all-points bulletin on Pagnini, who Sturla described as “a sophisticated expert who specialized in hitting the high-rent district.”

Superior Court Judge James Alfano had reduced Pagnini’s bail from $250,000 to $50,000 earlier this month. He had been in custody and was unable to post bond until then, Sturla said.

Stotler and Alfano were unavailable for comment Friday.

Pagnini faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison for Friday’s conviction on 10 counts involving residential burglary.