Former Bella Sol Restaurant Owner Headed for Federal Trial

The former owner of the former Bella Sol restaurant in downtown Portsmouth will soon go to trial on 12 federal charges that he allegedly defrauded customers by over billing them on their credit cards.

According to federal court documents, Brian Pearson, 28, of 172 White Lake Road in Chocorua is scheduled to go to trial in U.S. District Court in Concord on Feb. 5 for six counts of wire fraud and five counts of aggravated identity theft.

for allegedly over billing dozens of customers of the former eatery between Aug. 27, 2010 to May 26, 2011.

Portsmouth Police said Pearson allegedly defrauded customers out of more than $2,400 by placing charges on their credit cards without their authorization. Police said many of the charges were small, but the total amount charged was $2,437.87.

Following his arraignment on Nov. 7, 2011, .