Third man granted deferral of plea in theft of $16,000

A former waiter was granted a deferral of his guilty plea to charges stemming from the theft of $16,000 from the Alan Wong's Pineapple Room restaurant.

Aaron Matsuura, 28, was one of five waiters indicted last November for using the manager's access code without authorization to void orders and pocket the cash.

Under terms of the deferral, Matsuura also must perform 50 hours of community service. He paid back $2,677 to Wong when he pleaded guilty May 23 to second-degree theft and first-degree computer fraud.

Defense attorney Scott Collins said Matsuura cooperated with the investigation from the beginning. When the theft was uncovered and all five were fired, Matsuura went to Wong and apologized, asking what he could do to make things right.

Matsuura has since gone on to pursue another career and is doing well, Collins said.

Matsuura is the third man to receive a deferral in the case. Two other defendants, Jonathan J. Cloutier and Stephen J. Brown, also have received deferrals.

According to prosecutors, the waiters allegedly voided customer orders or transferred them to other waiters so they would not show up on their individual sales reports.