Posted on 10/30/2007 12:27:45 PM PDT by TheDon
Sheriff Mike Carona, his wife and a woman identified as his "longtime mistress" have been indicted on charges of public corruption by a federal grand jury, The Orange County Register has learned.
Orange County's top lawman has been charged with seven felony counts that he illegally accepted money, high-priced gifts and tickets to exclusive sporting events, and made loans to his girlfriend in exchange for favors, according to an indictment expected to be unsealed today.
Carona's former top aide, George Jaramillo, in a separate agreement, pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion and corruption charges in March and assisted the FBI and IRS in building the case against Carona. Jaramillo, a former assistant sheriff fired by Carona in 2005, is in jail on county charges.
Carona, 52, is also charged with witness tampering for attempting to persuade Don Haidl, a former assistant sheriff, to withhold testimony from federal investigators during tape-recorded conversations on March 17, 2004, and Aug. 13, 2007, the indictment says. Haidl, 56, bankrolled Carona's first campaign.
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The indictment also includes eight counts against Debra Hoffman, 41, a Newport Beach attorney and investor who the document identifies as the sheriff's "longtime mistress." The charges include aiding Carona and bankruptcy fraud, the indictment reads. Deborah Carona, 56, the sheriff's wife of 27 years, faces one count of conspiracy, the document says.
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The charges mark the shocking turn of a career Orange County Republicans hoped would rise from local lawman to statewide office and, in some of the most optimistic dreams, the U.S. Senate. Carona, a charming bodybuilder who liked to talk about his Christian family values, was anointed "America's Sheriff" by the national media during a highly publicized crime early in his first term and is a friend of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Sadly, while conservative O.C. is a mess of corruption at every level. I could tell you stories that would boggle your mind.
The rich have the money the corrupt are in politics with power and it is a constant state of power, corruption and wealth.
That may be true in some cases, but considering the scope of the indictment, and the number of people involved, I think it unlikely they are barking up the wrong tree. But you never know! We will see what the good sheriff has to say for himself.
Every conviction in which this POS LEO testified can now be challenged. How much is that going to cost the public?
I'm nobody and I've been given Monte blanc pens and free tickets to Angels games.
Thank goodness this guy never progressed in state politics. What a fraud.
That’s what I was thinking. Remember the Samantha Runion case? Carona was all over the news at that time.
That POS, I never liked that guy, I never trusted him. For all I know he had bribes, girls, and everything else going on in that office.
But that’s history. We wanna go on with a new Sheriff in town, ok.......you don’t?.....make a move. :)
¿Quién es el alguacil nuevo?
The story has been updated:
Carona: ‘I will be completely vindicated’
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Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona and his wife, Debbie, denied allegations today that they used the sheriff’s office for their own financial gain, saying they will be “completely vindicated.”
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Even as politicians called for Carona’s resignation, the sheriff refused to step down. He denied using his office for financial gain, said he was offended that accusations were made about his wife and that he will be “completely vindicated.”
“I look forward to my day in court,” Carona said in a statement. “I have retained excellent counsel to assist me in demonstrating the falsity of the accusations and I will rely on their counsel and expertise in doing so.”
In a separate statement, Debbie Carona said she was “shocked and saddened” by today’s events, but that the government’s strategy of using her as leverage against her husband will not succeed.
“Today’s events obviously are very stressful on our family, but they will be no more stressful than the vicious and mean-spirited attacks of the past,” she said. “My husband, my son and I will prevail in this challenge as we have every other.”
Hoffman did not return phone calls and emails seeking comment.
Supervisor John Moorlach said Carona should step aside and allow a subordinate to run the department, and that an election could be held in June.
“I believe it’s his duty to resign and it would be the honorable thing for him to do,” Moorlach said.
Carona’s two top former aides, George Jaramillo, 47, and Don Haidl, 56, reached separate agreements with the government, pleading guilty to federal charges in exchange for their cooperation in building the case against Carona.
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