http://www.contracostatimes.com/partners/nl/reddy_20001025.htm
Published Wednesday, October 25, 2000
Berkeley landlord to appear in court
Plea bargains are likely for the man who is suspected of smuggling South
Indian girls into the U.S. and his family
By Leslie Fulbright
TIMES STAFF WRITER


OAKLAND -- A wealthy Berkeley landlord suspected of smuggling South Indian
girls into the country for cheap labor and sex is set to appear in federal
court next week along with four members of his family for hearings that
likely will include plea bargains for all five.
Prosecutors filed a letter with the court last week to delay the case until
Monday, anticipating guilty pleas by four of the five. The fifth is expected
to enter a guilty plea Tuesday.
Attorneys on both sides would not comment on the plea negotiations.
But a source close to the case said Tuesday that charges against 63-year-old
Lakireddy Bali Reddy that involve importing minors for illegal sex acts
could be dropped. The source said none of the other defendants will plead
guilty to sex charges.
Reddy and his son, Vijay Kumar Lakireddy, 31, were indicted in February on
felony charges of bringing aliens into the United States illegally. The
father and son are suspected of using a high-tech employment agency to gain
visas for 21 people. Prosecutors say most of them ended up working in
Reddy's apartments and restaurants.
Police came into contact with the elder Reddy during an investigation at his
apartment complex where a 17-year-old girl died a year ago from carbon
monoxide fumes from a heater in her apartment. Her 15-year-old sister
survived. The elder Reddy is suspected of having sex with both girls. Both
men have pleaded not guilty.
Despite the court document filed last week, federal prosecutors were
hesitant to confirm that a plea deal would happen.
"You put yourself in a tenuous position when you assume things are going to
happen," said Debbie Husnick of the U.S. Attorney's Office. "Nothing is a
done deal until it is signed and filed."
Court records show three other defendants will be named prior to the Monday
hearing in an agreement between all parties on new charges that would
replace those in the February indictment.
The two other defendants expected to plead guilty are Reddy's eldest son,
Prasad Lakireddy and Reddy's brother, Jayprakash Lakireddy. Annapurna
Lakireddy, the brother's wife, is expected to enter a guilty plea during a
hearing Tuesday morning.
Prosecutors would not detail the crimes alleged against those three
defendants.
Not included in the plea talks is Venkateswara Vemireddy, who is accused of
posing as the two girls' father and bringing them to the United States. His
case is pending. Vemireddy is free on $50,000 bail.
Diana Russell, a professor emeritus at Mills College who has actively
picketed Reddy's Berkeley restaurant, Pasand Madras Indian Cuisine, said she
will be devastated if the new filing involves dropping the sex charges.
"It would be like saying the sex part of the case is not important," she
said. "Sexual slavery cases need to be given the importance they deserve."
Reddy has filed a harassment lawsuit against Russell.
Reddy owns more than 1,000 apartments in Berkeley, as well as Indian
restaurants in Berkeley and Santa Clara and property in the Indian state of
Andhra Pradesh. He is free on $10 million bail and Vijay Lakireddy is free
on $50,000 bail.
Leslie Fulbright covers crime and public safety. Reach her at 510-262-2728
or e-mail lfulbright@cctimes.com <mailto:lfulbright@cctimes.com>