VENTURA : Trial of Ex-Card Club Promoters Delayed

The trial of two former Oxnard card club promoters accused of stealing $10,000 from investors in a Santa Paula construction deal was postponed Friday to give a state appeals court a chance to weigh the validity of the charge.

Defendants Michael E. Wooten, 45, and Frank Marasco, 48, have asked the 2nd District Court of Appeal to overturn a Ventura County judge’s decision that requires them to stand trial. The trial was scheduled to start Monday.

The defendants contend prosecutors lack evidence that they broke any laws.

Prosecutors say the men submitted a false $10,000 voucher to a consortium of Ventura County investors for work on a Santa Paula development project. Instead of paying a construction firm to supervise the $10,000 job, Wooten of Camarillo and Marasco of Ventura divided the money between themselves, a prosecutor alleged in court.

Superior Court Judge Allan Steele initially disagreed with prosecutors and said he planned to dismiss the charge. The appeal was filed after Steele changed his mind May 2 and ordered the defendants to go to trial.

Attorney Louis B. (Chuck) Samonsky, who represents Marasco, said the appeals court has delayed the trial to give prosecutors time to state why they believe the men should go to trial.

“This has got their attention enough that they want to hear from the district attorney before issuing” a ruling, Samonsky said of the appellate court.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeff G. Bennett said the appeals court has given prosecutors until May 23 to respond. “It’s not unusual,” he said.

In an another matter, Wooten and Marasco pleaded guilty last month to one misdemeanor count of money laundering in connection with small contributions to some Oxnard political campaigns. They were fined $3,000 each.