Alexis Neiers has been hoping to hit the big time—provided she can avoid the big house.
The aspiring E! reality star and a suspect in the allegedly celebrity bling ring that targeted Hollywood homes belonging to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Ashley Tisdale and Rachel Bilson pleaded not guilty Monday to felony burglary, specifically for her purported role in a heist at Orlando Bloom's residence.
The 18-year-old, dressed in a pink sweater and tweed skirt, didn't need a star map to find her arraignment this morning. She turned up, camera crew in tow for the reality show pilot she's been filming with her sister, Playboy model Tess Taylor.
Neiers' attorney, Jeffrey Rubenstein, entered the innocent plea on her behalf, and the judge ordered her to return to court for a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 30. She's free on $50,000 bond.
"This is a very difficult time for my family and myself right now," Neiers told reporters outside the courthouse. "I just want to say thank you for respecting my privacy, and I'm really looking forward to my day in court and to getting this all cleared up."
She declined to take further questions. But in an interview with E! News shortly after her bust, she blamed her predicament on a poor choice in friends.
Her lawyer said she was cooperating with investigators.
She's one of several facing charges in the burglaries. Also on the D.A.'s hit list: 18-year-old Nicholas Prugo, Neiers' high-school classmate and the supposed mastermind of the ring who's facing seven burglary counts (he's been named as a suspect in all but the Tisdale burglary); Diana Tamaya, 19, who's facing two counts for break-ins at Lohan and Tisdale's; and Courtney Ames, 18, and Roy Lopez, 27, each of whom are facing one count.
The investigation into Rachel Lee, 19, whom Prugo has fingered as the true ringleader, is ongoing. She was arrested in Las Vegas but has yet to be formally charged.
Another suspect who turned himself in two weeks ago, 27-year-old Jonathan "Johnny Dangerous" Ajar, has not been directly charged with crimes related to the actual burglaries. Instead Johnny Dangerous, as he's apparently known, is facing felony weapons and drug possession charges from when authorities searched his house on Oct. 22 and remains behind bars.
Ajar appeared in court today but did not enter a plea. Instead, his lawyer, Michael A. Goldstein, asked and got the judge to delay his client's preliminary hearing to Dec. 2.
Editor's Note: E! previously released a statement about Neiers and her relationship with the network, indicating that the network will be "awaiting further details and will be monitoring the situation closely" before deciding whether to pull the plug on the project.
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