Golf course managers to face trial

Two Norco golf course managers will be arraigned Oct. 16 on charges of pimping and pandering in connection with prostitution at the Hidden Valley Golf Course, following a preliminary hearing Friday. Darren Bollinger, 29, and Jason Jerome Wood, 37, are charged with eight counts each in the investigation of a golf tournament at the course in June 2002 that included prostitution. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Christian Thierbach said there was sufficient evidence to bring the defendants to trial. Thierbach, who warned in July of a prosecutorial conflict of interest "at the highest level` of the Riverside County District Attorney`s Office, said Friday at least one of the course owners had made campaign contributions to Riverside County District Attorney Grover Trask. But on Friday, the judge called the contributions "relatively minimal, a potential issue which could be raised by the defense to recuse the trial.` Trask, who had declined comment on the judge`s warning since Thierbach spoke in court on July 18, said there never was a conflict involving his office. "Today he admitted his carelessness,` Trask said in a telephone interview. "His references to me were inappropriate and it created a sense of impropriety. It is important that we do respond for the record. We want to keep this trial in the courtroom setting.` In court Friday, Thierbach said he became concerned that at least one course owner might have known of the prostitution after the judge listened to Bollinger`s taped testimony. "There was a suggestion that at least one owner did know,` Thierbach said. "But there is insufficient evidence to charge them. There was no culpability on behalf of the owners.` In the taped interview, Bollinger tells sheriff`s investigators that he thought Wood had discussed the tournaments with Chuck Cox, one of the course`s four owners, but he did not know what they might have discussed, when or how Bollinger knew the discussions even occurred. Bollinger`s statements never implicated Cox, said Mark Sabbah, Cox`s attorney, who attended Friday`s hearing. In a July 31 interview, Cox said he knew about the tournaments but he did not know anything about prostitution. Cox and co-owner John West also attended Friday`s preliminary hearing, along with Sabbah, who spoke for the owners. "I came today to represent the interests of my clients and to ensure that what is said here today is not distorted or misconstrued,` Sabbah said. Steve Harmon, attorney for Bollinger, said no settlement has been reached in the case. The District Attorney`s Office has not made any settlements with the attorneys, Trask said. John Barnett, Wood`s attorney, was not available after the hearing. Bollinger and Wood are free on bail and continue to work for Hidden Valley Golf Course, Cox said. Bollinger continues to work as manager of the course and Wood has been moved to the district office, Cox said. Cox and West, of Cox/West Realty; Donald Galleano, of Galleano Wineries; and Eddie Fisher, a business investor, have been paying for the legal fees of Bollinger and Wood. Three of the owners have contributed to Trask`s campaigns since 1983. "The donations were insignificant and we have already spoken with the Attorney General`s Office and there doesn`t seem to be any conflict there,` Trask said. The owners have not been questioned by investigators or prosecutors in connection with the case. "Our duty is to protect those that are innocent as well,` Trask said. "The sheriff`s office did an investigation and there was no evidence that the owners did anything.` Cox said tournaments with strippers are not illegal and he did not know about prostitution. Galleano has said he had no knowledge of the prostitution. He confirmed that he had not been questioned in connection with investigation. Chang only said that there was not enough evidence to question the owners. Sandy Juarez, 37, owner and operator of Sandy Juarez Golf Adventures, admitted providing prostitutes for private tournaments at Hidden Valley. She pleaded guilty in a settlement with the District Attorney`s Office for testifying against Bollinger and Wood. Juarez, of Palmdale, received three years` probation and 120 days in jail to be served on weekends. The Riverside County Sheriff`s Department made six arrests during a June 14 raid at the course. Bollinger, Wood, Juarez, two prostitutes and Allen Fleming of Laguna Nigel were taken into custody that night. According to Bollinger`s and Wood`s taped testimony, more than 100 people attended the tournament. Juarez testified that many of the attendees were prominent figures, including doctors, lawyers and police officers. At least four tournaments, coordinated by Sandy Juarez Golf Adventures, had been held at the club prior to the raid, according to Bollinger`s taped interview. Other golf adventures at the club were held by Uncle Bills, a golf adventure hosted by Fritz`s strip club in Bellflower and Anaheim. Cox is negotiating with the Norco Planning Department to sell half of the golf course in order to build homes. The golf course is on the verge of bankruptcy, said Jim Daniels, Norco city planning director.