Santa Ana : 2 Landscapers Charged With Fraud Enter Pleas
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Two Santa Ana businessmen, accused of bilking the City of San Jose in an alleged fraud, pleaded not guilty Friday at an arraignment in San Jose, a prosecutor said.
Otto Bade and Paul Sepulveda, business partners who operated Angels Comprehensive Services Inc., a landscaping firm in Santa Ana, are charged with two felony counts each for allegedly filing claims for weed-control jobs that were not performed.
Both men, who appeared in court Friday, were released on their own recognizance. A preliminary hearing was scheduled March 7, Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Adams said.
If they are found guilty, each could receive a maximum punishment of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The charges stem from a two-month investigation by the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office of an estimated $37,000 discrepancy involving $121,000 in charges the landscaping company sought from the city.
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