The investigators are being charged with four felony counts, including identity theft and conspiracy. They will appear again in court on November 17 for further proceedings.
That is the same day former HP chairwoman Patricia Dunn, who is facing the same charges, is scheduled to be arraigned.
Ronald DeLia, managing director of Security Outsourcing Solutions, and Matthew Depante, manager of information broker Action Research Group, were ordered freed on their own recognizance. So was Bryan Wagner, an investigator at Action Research Group, but he was ordered to contact the court with his whereabouts every day.
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has charged Dunn and the investigators for allegedly breaking the law by using pretexting,, a deceptive method to obtain cell phone records, as part of the probe into whom on HP’s board had leaked sensitive information to the media.
Former HP internal counsel Kevin Hunsaker, has also been charged. He is to be arraigned on December 6.
