Legal News

Newly discovered recording may clear Numero Uno founder of racketeering charges

By Richard Binder

George Torres, founder of a successful chain of 11 Numero Uno supermarkets, was ordered released from jail yesterday on $1 million bond after federal prosecutors discovered a recording that may exonerate him in racketeering charges asserting he ordered a rival killed.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman with the U.S. attorney's office, said the newly uncovered recordings of a convicted drug trafficker contained exculpatory evidence, but he declined to discuss details of the recordings.

Torres had faced as much as life in prison after being convicted in April of 55 felony counts, including racketeering, mail fraud and wire fraud, conspiring to harbor illegal immigrants and tax charges. Torres, who has been in custody for two years, remains convicted of the 53 lesser charges and could still face dozens of years in prison.  But U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson raised the possibility of sentencing him to the time he already served.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on June 10, 2009 (boomark / email).