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Letter campaign against Lakireddy

Lakireddy Bali Reddy's troubles aren't over just yet. The Berkeley landlord, who confessed earlier this year to importing Indian immigrants for cheap labour and sex, may be facing more prison time and a stiffer fine if some of his toughest critics have their way.

A small coalition of protestors has embarked on a determined letter-writing campaign to sour the sweet plea deal Reddy has worked out with federal prosecutors.

Over the past several weeks, US district court judge Saundra Armstrong has received dozens of letters and petitions from residents of Berkeley, urging her to deal harshly with the East Bay's richest, and now most infamous, landlord.

On June 19, Armstrong will sentence 63-year-old Reddy, who pleaded guilty on March 7 to one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, two counts of transporting a minor for illegal sex, and one count of submitting a false tax return.

Although the prosecution has recommended a six-year prison term and a $2 million fine, the protestors are pushing for the maximum sentence of 38 years and far more substantial damages.

"The recommended sentence is scandalous," said letter-writer Diana Russell, a prominent Bay Area sociologist and women's rights activist. "[It's] a mere rap on the knuckles for Reddy", whose property holdings alone are worth more than $50 million.

Russell, whose group, Women Against Sexual Slavery, has already successfully lobbied the City of Berkeley to sanction a boycott against Reddy's popular Pasand Madras Cuisine restaurant, added: "This is an example of a flagrantly unjust double standard of justice -- one for the rich and powerful and another for everyone else."

WASS is the primary organiser of the letter-writing campaign, Russell confirmed. They hope to sway Armstrong into putting Reddy away for a long spell, she said, and will make a strong showing at his sentencing hearing.

The Lakireddy Case: The complete coverage

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