Lakeside
A co-defendant charged with fraud in connection with rigged bingo games at the Barona Indian Reservation near Lakeside pleaded innocent Friday.
Joseph Richard Cantania, 38, of Las Vegas, appeared before San Diego Municipal Court Judge Dick Murphy, who released him on his own recognizance.
Cantania, one of three defendants, is charged with three counts of grand theft in the loss of $79,500 between Jan. 21, 1985, and April 17, 1985.
Cantania’s preliminary hearing is set for July 10.
His attorney, Ronald Frant, argued that he should be released without any bail because he had no prior record. Deputy Atty. Gen. Louis Hanoian did not object.
The preliminary hearing of co-defendant Louis Cordileone, 49, of Hollywood, who is charged with inducing his girlfriend to commit perjury before the grand jury investigating the games, is set for June 12. He was arraigned last week and pleaded innocent.
Stewart Siegel, 48, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty April 2 to four counts of grand theft and admitted rigging the games. He could receive a five-year state prison term when he is sentenced July 1. Cantania was charged with fraud as an accomplice of Siegel, who has given information to authorities about the operation.
Siegel is free on bail and Cordileone is free on his own recognizance.
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