P. v. Ontiveros
A jury convicted Franklin Ontiveros, Rolando Montez and Johnnie Mae Johnson of conspiracy to commit grand theft (Pen. Code,[1] 182, subd. (a), 487, subd. (a)) and conspiracy to obtain property, labor or services by false pretenses ( 182, subd. (a), 532, subd. (a)) as part of a pyramid real estate scheme that was supposed to provide houses for low-income Latinos of the Christian faith who otherwise could not afford them. In connection with these counts, the jury found Ontiveros and Montez committed at least two felonies involving fraud or embezzlement of more than $500,000 ( 186.11, subd. (a)(2)). With respect to all three defendants, the jury found the victims' aggregate losses exceeded $150,000 ( 12022.6, subd. (a)(2)). The jury also convicted Montez of conspiracy to forge documents ( 182, subd. (a)(1), 470, subd. (d)) and conspiracy to file a false instrument ( 115, subd. (a), 182, subd. (a)(1)). The trial court sentenced Montez to seven years in state prison and Ontiveros to five years. The court suspended imposition of sentence on Johnson and granted her five years' probation on condition, among other things, that she serve 365 days in jail.
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