SANTA ANA – According to the Orange County Register, Santa Ana city councilman and a former Orange County executive was arrested Monday and charged with more than a dozen counts, including false imprisonment and assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said.
Carlos Bustamante, a one-time rising county Republican star who has denied wrongdoing, was put on paid administrative leave Sept. 12 after the county received an anonymous letter detailing allegations of a sexual nature against him.
Specifically, prosecutors have charged Bustamante, who was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Monday by D.A. investigators, with 12 felonies and four misdemeanors, including:
- Six felony counts of false imprisonment
- three of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense
- one count each of stalking, attempted sexual battery by restraint, and grand theft by false pretense
- one misdemeanor count each of battery, assault, sexual battery, and attempted sexual battery with a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing the offenses as a result of sexual compulsion and for the purpose of sexual gratification, according to a District Attorney's Office news release.
