BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Three Romanian citizens charged with EBT fraud were granted bail Tuesday morning — but they must prove any money put toward their release was legally obtained.
Camelia Ionita, 41, Vasile Barbu, 44, and Briceag Ionita, 49, are due back in court next month for a hearing at which they’ll be expected to show where the bail money came from.
Prosecutor Anthony Yim argued they should be held without bail. He noted all prior defendants who were granted bail in what he described as a wide-ranging Romanian crime ring later fled and had to be tracked down.
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Judge Colette M. Humphrey said she couldn’t infer from the behavior of others what the Ionitas and Barbu would do. She set bail at $20,000 for each of them, with instructions that, if released, they’ll be placed on the highest level of monitoring. They’ll have to surrender their passports and wear ankle monitors.
The three were arrested July 2 in Fresno. Prosecutors say a total of 181 cloned EBT cards and $42,866 in cash were seized, as well as electronic devices used to commit fraud…