Preliminary hearing set Monday for Pacquiao’s ‘bookkeeper’
Preliminary hearing set Monday for Pacquiao’s ‘bookkeeper’
JOSEPH G. LARIOSA, GMANews.TV
CHICAGO – Judge Kristi Lousteau of the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles will hold a preliminary hearing on Monday for the case of a woman accused of stealing $89,000 from Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao.
Lousteau scheduled the hearing following an “early disposition hearing’ of the case against Pia Anatalia Quijada last Wednesday at the District Criminal Justice Center at Department 050 in Los Angeles.
Quijada, 27, is charged with one-count felony “grand theft of property over $400″ and 32-count felony forgeries.
Sandi Gibbons, public information officer of the District Attorney’s office of Los Angeles, said Quijada could face a minimum of 16 months to a maximum of three years in jail if she is convicted for each count of grand theft of property over $400 and of the crime of forgery.
“The judge may run the prison terms concurrently or consecutively and may also determine the amount of fine or restitution,” Gibbons added.
Quijada is being held in lieu of $90,000 bond at the Century Regional Detention Facility at Lynwood, California.
Susan Roe, deputy public defender, representing Quijada, and Deputy District Attorney Dan O’Connell could not be reached for comment.
At the arraignment of the case last January 28 before Judge Lousteau, Quijada waived her arraignment, the reading of the complaint and statement of constitutional and statutory rights and public defender Roe registered a “not guilty” plea on all counts on her behalf.
Investigations showed that Quijada forged 32 checks and kept the money to herself.
Quijada was charged with grand theft and forgeries last Jan. 18.
She was ordered arrested by Judge Drew E. Edwards, who recommended $90,000 bail for her freedom.
Quijada is the wife of Pacquiao’s driver.
Pacquiao, holder of four division titles, and who had just beaten Oscar “Golden Boy” de la Hoya, had asked her help with the US banking system, according a statement from District Attorney’s office. – GMANews.TV
