Son of landlord in sex case posts bail
Peter Hartlaub
OF THE EXAMINER STAFF
Jan. 29, 2000
©2000 San Francisco Examiner

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/2000/01/29/NEWS5270.dtl



Ordered to stay away from airports, alcohol while charges pend

OAKLAND - The son of Berkeley's largest landlord can't have an alcoholic drink or come near an airplane, but he's allowed to stay out of jail on $500,000 bail until a charge that he illegally imported workers is resolved.

Federal prosecutors wanted Vijay Kumar Lakireddy's bail set at $1 million and suggested that the 30-year-old should have a curfew.

U.S. District Magistrate Wayne Brazil said no to both requests during a hearing Friday, keeping Lakireddy's bail well below that of his father, Lakireddy Bali Reddy, who was released on a $10 million bond Tuesday.

Court records have indicated that the family has a $60 million real estate empire in the East Bay.

Vijay Lakireddy's attorney, George Cotsirilos Jr., pointed out that his client was charged with just one count of illegally importing workers into the United States. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison.

"I frankly think that the recommended bail is too high," said Cotsirilos, who had suggested that bail be $100,000. "I don't see any reason why Mr. Lakireddy should be treated any differently than anyone else."

Brazil said Lakireddy's immigration fraud case was not typical.

"There haven't been other people similarly situated (facing) these kinds of charges," Brazil said during Lakireddy's hearing. "It's extraordinarily unusual for a defendant to have this many assets."

Under questioning from Brazil, Lakireddy said he had lost his passport and also couldn't find a gun he had registered. Brazil said he could possess neither while out on bail.

Authorities say Lakireddy helped his father smuggle people from India into the United States. His father is also accused of having sex with two illegal immigrants, ages 15 and 17.

Neither Lakireddy nor Reddy have entered pleas to the charges, but both have denied wrongdoing.

Cotsirilos argued that his client shouldn't be restricted from drinking alcohol. Prosecutors said Lakireddy had been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.

"I would suggest you not pursue that," Brazil told Cotsirilos, ordering Lakireddy not to drink alcohol or take drugs.

Brazil also told Lakireddy to stay in Northern California and to stay away from airports or other ports.

Lakireddy's uncle and step-brother used their property for bail and signed the agreement in court.

Brazil told the relatives that all of their property was effectively frozen while Lakireddy was out on bail, similar to an order he gave Reddy earlier in the week.

Lakireddy declined to comment outside of court.

A court affidavit filed last week by a U.S. Department of Justice special agent and unsealed this week suggests that Lakireddy used his company, Active Tech Solutions, to get Indians into the country on temporary work visas.

At least 21 applications were filed on behalf of Active Tech Solutions, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit said state officials had sent federal investigators wage and earnings forms "which show that, since Jan. 1, 1998, there have only been one to four employees on the payroll of Active Tech Solutions."

The affidavit also said Lakireddy had asked his dad for permission to have sex with one of three teenage girls allegedly smuggled from India, but had been denied.

Lakireddy was charged earlier this week and was released from custody without posting bail or entering a plea.

His father spent 11 days in jail in Oakland before his release Tuesday. Brazil set Reddy's bail at $10 million and froze his real es

tate holdings, estimated at about $60 million.

Reddy faces the same charge as his son, along with an added count of importing immigrants for prostitution and other immoral purposes.

While Alameda County prosecutors are also considering filing charges against Reddy, newspaper reports from India say he may face problems there as well.

According to the Indian Express newspaper, some poverty-stricken parents sold their children to Reddy, thinking they would have a better life in the United States.

The newspaper said some of those parents now planned to file complaints with police in India.


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