Alleged stalking, rape put 'Bling Ring' member in spotlight again

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A convicted thief achieved fame when his story was told in the Hollywood movie "Bling Ring."

Now, Nicholas Prugo is in the spotlight again facing a new set of charges and higher bail despite his request in court Wednesday.

"The reduction in bail will be denied based on the serious nature of the crimes as well as safety of the community," stated Judge Sergio Tapia.

The court orders the 24-year-old to stay away from the alleged victims, former West Hollywood salon operator Dawn DaLuise and her two daughters.

The district attorney alleges that Prugo and a friend, Ed Feinstein, stalked DaLuise, then posted anonymous ads online. The solicitations featured sexually explicit photoshopped images of DaLuise and said she wanted to be raped to fulfill a fantasy.

"There is a whole lot of talk about fantasies and fantasy rapes. This whole allegation against my client is one big fantasy," said Prugo's defense attorney, Pat Harris.

The Web ads ignited the ire of DaLuise. She mistakenly lashed out at a business rival thinking he was behind the harassment. Clashes landed her jail.

She was charged for allegedly trying to hire a hit man. The jury acquitted her when they heard the whole story in court.

Now, the tables are turned and it is Prugo and Feinstein in trouble.

Prugo already has a record. He was a convicted of two felonies as a member of the so-called Bling-Ring. Their crime spree became a movie. The young bandits targeted the homes of celebrities which included Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Orlando Bloom.

Prugo served a year behind bars and later told Eyewitness News that the incarceration helped him.

"I needed to have that jail experience, I needed to figure out my boundaries," he said in June 2013, after the premiere of the movie.

Now, Prugo will get more time for self-assessment. His bail is set at $485,000. He will be arraigned along with his co-defendant Oct. 6.

If convicted of all charges, he could face as long as 14 years in state prison.