Much to the chagrin of East Coasters, the folks at the helm of In-N-Out Burger haven't expanded the chain all the way across America. 
 
 Why's that? 
 
 The Orange Country Register managed to get a rare interview with with Lynsi Torres the 30-year-old owner and president of In-N-Out. 
 
 It comes down to a few things. 
 
 Franchising — In-N-Out adamantly refuses to franchise so that it can keep tight control over its operations. 
 
 "We're definitely not franchising, and we're not going to sell," Torres told the OC Register. So don't expect any mass expansion of In-N-Out any time soon. 
 
 Sourcing ingredients — All food at In-N-Out is fresh, and since there are no freezers or microwaves in the restaurants, every location needs to be near its distribution facilities, which are in Baldwin Park, CA, and Dallas, TX. 
 
 "Our focus (is) on quality. I think the customers really respect that," said Torres. 
 
 Brand — In-N-Out keeps tight control over its image. Its brand is elite and it depends on its rabid following of customers. If it suddenly expanded all over America, it'd lose some of that luster. 
 
 "We're not changing things like many other companies do," said Torres. "That's kept us unique; it's kept the customers feeling like we're not a sellout." 
 
 Since Torres' grandmother Esther Snyder died, In-N-Out has grown from 202 locations to 281, or approximately 6 percent a year. The chain is now in five states and has around 16,000 employees. 
 
 Torres has kept a low profile since taking the reins of the company, but was recently thrust into the spotlight when Bloomberg's Billionaires Index named her the youngest female billionaire in America. ||||| SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A 55-year-old Newport Beach man pleaded not guilty today to charges of fraudulently seeking out investors for In-N-Out Burger franchises in the Middle East. 
 
 Throughout last year, Craig Stevens is suspected of carrying out a scheme to solicit prospective investors to acquire In-N-Out franchises in the Middle East for about $150,000 per location. Prosecutors say investors were also told the buy-in required them to pay an additional $250,000 annually in royalties. 
 
 Stevens “well knew” he did not own any franchising rights and wasn’t authorized to represent In-N-Out, an Irvine-based, privately held company, but he still solicited about $4.27 million from “less than 10 investors,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 
 
 Stevens sent an email regarding the scheme to Tripoli, Lebanon, on June 28, prosecutors said. 
 
 Stevens’ attorney, Ron Cordova, declined comment after the hearing. 
 
 U.S. District Judge Douglas McCormick set bail at $10,000 for Stevens and scheduled a July 7 trial date. 
 
 
 
 (©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.) ||||| A Southern California man stands accused of raking in more than $4 million by selling sham In-N-Out Burger franchises to investors in the Middle East. 
 
 Prosecutors say Craig Stevens, 55, started sending out emails in January 2014, telling people that franchises of the popular West Coast burger chain were available at $150,000 per location, with royalties costing $250,000 a year, the Los Angeles Times reports. This scheme brought in $4.27 million, charging documents say, and Stevens allegedly committed wire fraud last June by sending a counterfeit In-N-Out licensing agreement via email to an investor in Lebanon. He pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud on Monday, and is free on $10,000 bond. 
 
 In-N-Out Burger Inc. was founded in 1948, has always been privately owned, and does not have any franchise agreements or partnerships with third parties. Although being able to eat a Double Double in Abu Dhabi does sound amazing, In-N-Out only has locations within driving distance of distribution centers, and right now those are only in California and Texas. Catherine Garcia ||||| A Newport Beach man is accused of bilking investors out of more than $4 million as part of a scheme to sell bogus In-N-Out Burger franchises in the Middle East, prosecutors said Monday. 
 
 Craig Stevens, 55, pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court in Santa Ana to wire fraud and remains free on $10,000 bond, court officials said. 
 
 Starting in January 2014, prosecutors say Stevens reached out to investors via email and peddled In-N-Out franchises for about $150,000 per location, with royalties costing an additional $250,000 per year. 
 
 Stevens solicited about $4.27 million through his scheme, according to charging documents filed by the U.S. attorney's office. 
 
 In late June 2014, prosecutors allege he committed wire fraud by passing off a faux In-N-Out licensing agreement in an e-mail to an unidentified Lebanese investor, according to court documents. 
 
 Irvine-based In-N-Out Burger Inc. has been privately owned since its founding in 1948, and the company has no such franchise agreements or partnerships with third parties as Stevens claimed, prosecutors said. 
 
 A trial has been scheduled for July. Stevens' attorney, Ron Cordova, could not be reached for comment. 
 
 For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.
– Craig Stevens allegedly had what sounded like a great offer: Purchase an In-N-Out Burger franchise and bring the fast-food chain to the Middle East. That would be pretty major, considering a slim five US states are home to In-N-Out Burger locations. The only problem? The company has "adamantly" refused to franchise. But that didn't stop the 55-year-old Californian from allegedly soliciting just north of $4 million from "less than 10 investors," per CBS LA. Stevens, 55, pleaded not guilty to wire fraud in federal court yesterday, as prosecutors laid out his alleged scheme, which they say involved contacting potential investors via email beginning in January 2014. They say he priced the fake franchises at $150,000 a pop, plus $250,000 per year in royalties, reports the LA Times. The wire fraud allegedly occurred six months later when he emailed a fake In-N-Out licensing agreement to an unnamed Lebanese investor. Stevens is currently free on $10,000 bond. As for why the chain is found in so few states currently, the Week explains that it only builds locations that are within driving distance of its California and Texas distribution centers; you can get your fix in those states, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.