More Charged in Celebrity Burglary Case

More Charged in
Celebrity Burglary Case

October 28, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila-Morales, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

LOS ANGELES – Four people were charged today with residential burglary in an alleged crime spree that targeted homes of celebrities and netted the suspects more than $3 million in jewelry, designer clothes and accessories.

The four are added to an amended felony complaint -- BA363474 -- that initially charged 18-year-old Nicholas Frank Prugo with two counts of first-degree residential burglary.

Charged today are Diana Tamayo, 19 (dob 3-22-90); Alexis Christine Neirs, 18 (dob 6-20-91); Roy Lopez Jr., 27 (dob 3-5-82); and Courtney Leigh Ames, 18 (dob 11-14-90), said Deputy District Attorney Kaarin Axelsen. All four were arrested last week by LAPD officers and later released on bail. Axelsen declined to file on Las Vegas teen Rachel Lee, pending further investigation.

After allegedly studying celebrity magazines and websites and picking out clothing and jewelry they wanted, various members of the group allegedly began breaking into homes between December 2008 and Oct. 11. Celebrities targeted included Audrina Patridge, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Ashley Tisdale, Brian Austin Green, Megan Fox and Orlando Bloom.

Prugo, from Calabasas, is now charged with seven counts of first-degree residential burglary. Tamayo, from Newbury Park, is charged with two counts of first-degree residential burglary. Ames, of Calabasas, Neirs, of Thousand Oaks, and Lopez, of Reseda, are charged with one count each of first-degree residential burglary.

Prugo is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12 at the Criminal Justice Center, Department 30. Neirs is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 16, Tamayo on Nov. 17, Ames on Nov. 20 and Lopez on Nov. 23, all in the same department.

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