Jail release looming for three illegal immigrants charged in identity theft case
By Brad Zinn/staff • bzinn@newsleader.com • August 28, 2008

STAUNTON — Defense attorneys for four illegal immigrants arrested in May on identity theft charges indicated today in Augusta County General District Court that the Commonwealth’s case against the men is weak at best.

Three of the suspects could be released from jail as early as Friday.

The four men — Crisogono Hernandez, 23, Pedro Calderon-Frias, 23, Jorge A. Rodriguez Perez, 27, and Norberto Reguldo-Leon, 37 — were charged after an investigation by Virginia State Police was launched following a routine traffic stop against Hernandez. During the traffic stop, Hernandez told a state trooper he worked at Don Juan’s restaurant in Fishersville, according to police. He reportedly provided fake identification to the officer.

The investigation led authorities to obtain 105 employee files at the Fishersville restaurant and the Don Juan’s in Verona. Both restaurants have since closed. The four suspects were eventually charged with identity theft, forgery of a public record and uttering a forged document.

A preliminary hearing for three of the suspects was scratched today after assistant Augusta County prosecutor Angela Landes asked Judge A. Lee McGratty for a continuance because she had been unable to subpoena a member of the Social Security Administration.

“Lots of luck,â€