Hewlett Packard pretexting defendants arraigned

By Jason Bennert, Bay City News Service

October 10, 2006

SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three of the defendants in the Hewlett-Packard pretexting case were arraigned in a San Jose courtroom today and entered not guilty pleas before being released on their own recognizance.

Massachusetts resident Ronald Delia, 56; Florida resident Matthew Depante, 27; and Colorado resident Bryan Wagner, 29, were all ordered to go to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office following their court appearance in order to be booked and fingerprinted.

The next scheduled court date for the three men is Nov. 17, the date that their codefendant, former HP board of directors Chairwoman Patricia Dunn, is scheduled to be arraigned.

None of the three spoke to the large number of reporters gathered outside the courthouse following their appearance. However, Wagner's lawyer, Stephen Naratil, said his client is innocent.

Wagner "didn't know he was working for HP,'' when he allegedly obtained the phone records of HP board members, HP employees and journalists, according to Naratil.

"He's just a guy doing his job. Bryan was involved in this practice for a number of years with very reputable companies,'' Naratil said.

Wagner was released on the supervised own recognizance program. He has to regularly check in with the county's Office of Pretrial Services.

Delia and Depante were both released on the less restrictive own recognizance program.

Superior Court Judge Jerome Nadler allowed all three to file waivers that will allow their attorneys to appear without them at future procedural court hearings.

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