DA Anticipates Rental Fraud Suspects to Plead Guilty

Defendants in agreed to plead guilty Jan. 9 if the "right offer" was made.

Timothy August and Monica Perretta were arrested on Dec. 14 and charged with multiple counts of theft by false pretenses and passing bad checks.

After investigating, the District Attorneys Office found four victims--landlords--and one sub-lessee.

"We are finishing our investigation on at least one more defrauded landlord (making it five total landlord-victims) and possibly two more sub-lessees (making it three total sub-lessee/victims)," said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Victor Chen. "After all is said and done, I anticipate 16 felony charges will be lodged against Timothy August and 15 felonies (plus one misdemeanor) against Monica Perretta.

"In that instance, they would both be looking at maximum prison sentences of approximately nine years apiece," Chen said.

Since 2008, the two suspects have been allegedly swindling landlords in Campbell, San Jose and Morgan Hill out of rent; nearly $30,000.

August and Perretta will appear in court Jan. 23 for another judge to informally hear the facts and see if resolution, including restitution of between $40,000 and $50,000 can be reached, Chen said.

"For now, it looks like the case will settle within the next few weeks," he said. "If not, it'll be on to a preliminary hearing where witnesses will be called to testify and after that, possibly a jury trial."