Craig Stevens, 49, formerly of Rancho Santa Margarita, entered his plea before Orange County Superior Court Commissioner Vickie Hix, who set a pretrial hearing date of April 7.
Stevens was brought to Orange County from Soledad prison, where he is still serving his 16-month term in the embezzlement case. He is ineligible for bail, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Deputy Public Defender Stephen Daniels could not be reached for immediate comment.
Stevens allegedly stole a combined $194,000 from the two women.
Stevens' first wife, to whom he was married for about 10 years, has been identified publicly only as Ann S. They have two middle school-aged children, said Deputy District Attorney Jan Christie.
The defendant persuaded that wife to turn over her property inheritance to pay the $147,000 restitution to his former employer, tennis-apparel distributor Balle de Match, for money that he embezzled between December 2006 and June 2007, Christie said.
Stevens pleaded guilty in the embezzlement case last October. His sentence also included time for an unrelated stalking case, the prosecutor said.
After leaving his Costa Mesa employer, Stephens worked as a consultant for a time in Rhode Island while commuting back to his Rancho Santa Margarita home, Christie said.
He met Illinois resident Elizabeth D., possibly online, and the two married on Aug. 4, 2007, according to the prosecution. Ann S. and Elizabeth D. knew nothing of each other, Emami said.
Elizabeth D. expected the two to live in Illinois when Stevens sold his California home, Christie said.
Stevens allegedly got $47,000 from the second woman by claiming he needed to money to pay for his daughter's college tuition, although he does not have a college-age child, Emami said.
Charges stemming from his alleged actions with Ann S. include grand theft by pretense, stemming from her belief that he was a loyal husband and that she would not have given him the money had she known he was married to another woman.
Stevens pleaded not guilty to one count each of bigamy, rape by belief the perpetrator is a spouse, grant theft by false pretense and grand theft.
He also faces sentencing enhancements of aggravated white collar crime and financial loss of more than $200,000, and could be sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison if convicted, Emami said.
Stevens was almost finished serving his original term when the new charges were brought, Christie said.
From KTLA.com
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