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Henry A. Barrios / The Californian

Augustine Ramirez in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing in an alleged $4.1 million mortgage fraud scheme.

Henry A. Barrios / The Californian

Guadalupe Ramirez, left, and Maria Quijada Ramirez, center, along with attorney H.A. Sala in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing in an alleged $4.1 million mortgage fraud scheme.

A motion to bar media coverage at a preliminary hearing Tuesday for three defendants connected to an alleged $4.1 million mortgage fraud scheme was denied.

Defense attorney H.A. Sala twice asked that media be removed from the proceedings. He first made the request to Judge Michael Lewis, in whose courtroom the defendants — Guadalupe Ramirez, Augustine Ramirez and Maria Ramirez — sat before they were assigned a courtroom for their hearing.

Lewis denied Sala’s request, allowing media to stay and photographs to be taken of the defendants.

Sala then asked Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman II, in whose courtroom the hearing was eventually assigned, to keep the media out. He and attorneys Ira L. Stoker and Ronald Carter argued, in part, that media coverage would make it difficult for their clients to get a fair trial.

Twisselman ruled to keep the proceedings open. He did, however, say cameras would not be allowed.

A preliminary hearing is the stage at which a judge decides whether there is enough evidence to force a defendant to stand trial. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Augustine Ramirez, the father of Guadalupe and husband of Maria, bought five homes between November 2006 and January 2007 and each time indicated he planned to live in the place, according to the criminal complaint filed in Kern County Superior Court. Owner-occupied homes are eligible for more favorable loan terms.

Father and daughter are accused of conspiring to obtain inflated appraisals on homes, and lying to sellers to get them to make what amounted to kickback payments that were not disclosed to lenders, the complaint says. The homes immediately went into default.

Guadalupe Ramirez is charged with two counts of conspiracy, five counts of grand theft and eight counts of money laundering, according to the Kern County Superior Court website. Augustine Ramirez is charged with the same crimes, as well as two counts of tax evasion.

Maria Ramirez is charged with two counts of conspiracy, five counts of grand theft, two counts of tax evasion and being an accessory, the website says.

Three witnesses were called Tuesday, including retired Bakersfield police Detective Frank Wooldridge. The lead detective in the Ramirez case, Wooldridge was able to only answer a few questions before he left for a matter regarding his current job. He was ordered to return Wednesday to continue his testimony.

The last witness called Tuesday was Judy Camp, general manager of what was formerly the Touchstone Real Estate Group, where Guadalupe Ramirez was a licensed real estate agent. Camp will also return Wednesday, as there was not enough time for her to complete her testimony before Superior Court closed for the day.

Deputy District Attorney Gordon Isen, head of the District Attorney’s office’s mortgage fraud unit, is prosecuting the case.

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