San Diego
A man charged with trying to sell top-secret Navy cryptographic cards to federal agents pleaded guilty to five criminal charges a day before jury selection in his federal trial was to begin.
Francis Xavier Pizzo II of Chula Vista was charged, along with three other men, in a conspiracy to sell the cards stolen from the tank landing ship Peoria to Secret Service agents for $1,000.
Pizzo, 19, pleaded guilty Tuesday to four counts of conspiracy and one count of theft of government property. He could be sentenced to up to 35 years in prison and fined up to $50,000.
The plea leaves only one of the original defendants left to stand trial, 21-year-old Michael Tobias of Chula Vista. Jury selection in his case is expected to begin today.
Two other men, Bruce Tobias, 19, of Chula Vista, and Dale Vern Irene, 24, of San Diego, pleaded guilty in January to two misdemeanor counts of receiving and concealing stolen property valued at less than $100.
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