Carlos Bustamante Mug Shot (Photo: Courtesy O.C. District Attorney)Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante (Photo: Chris Prevatt)
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas revealed more details at this morning’s press conference regarding the arrest of Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante.
Bustamante, the former Director of Administrative Services for Orange County Public Works, was released last night after posting $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Thursday mornng.
Bustamante was arrested Monday afternoon in the parking lot outside of City Hall prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council.
For his sex assault-related crimes, Carlos Bustamante, 47, is charged with six felony counts of false imprisonment, three counts of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, one felony count each of battery, assault, sexual battery, and attempted sexual battery with a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing the offenses as a result of axial compulsion and for the purpose of sexual gratification.
For his fraud-related crimes, Bustamante has been charged with one felony count of grand theft by false pretense. If convicted on all counts, Bustamante faces a maximum sentence of 26 years and two months in state prison, plus an additional year and nine months in County jail, and would be subject to lifetime sex offender registration.
It is alleged that Bustamante assaulted at least seven women between 2003 and 2011 while working in his official capacity at Orange County Public Works, most recently as an administrative manager.
All of his seven charged victims were county employees, and subordinate to him at the time they were victimized. Bustamante is accused of targeting victims whom he knew to be vulnerable due to their emotional state, current relationship status, or employment position.
Carlos Bustamante Mug Shot (Photo: Courtesy O.C. District Attorney)
Bustamante is accused of committting several of the assaults in his office. He is accused of using phone calls or emails to lure the victims to his office under the pretense of needing to speak with them about work-related matters.
Bustamante is accused of sexually assaulting the victims in his office including hugging them, kissing their mouths and necks, rubbing his face against theirs, grabbing their breasts, touching their bare thighs and moving his hand towards their vaginas, grabbing their buttocks, exposing himself, and masturbating in front of his victims.
The theft of public funds charge is related to his failing to reimburse the county for a portion of expenses for a two week training in Boston, MA that he attended. In addition to failing to pay his agreed upon share, Bustamante is alleged to have attempted to be reimbursed for meals that were already covered as part of the conference he was attending.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas (Photo: Chris Prevatt)
“When a person is elected to public office, or accepts a taxpayer-funded high ranking position, that person owes a duty of trust to the public to protect the powers of that position,” District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told the assembled media. “One holds such a position not as an owner, but as a steward for a limited time. Holding such a position is a privilege bestowed by the public, and we must do all we can to safeguard the public trust. This case exemplifies an unacceptable abuse of power, abuse of position, abuse of women, and abuse of trust,” Rackauckas added.
9 Comments
The SanTanna city council shoul replace one perv with another one. Appoint NAMBLA supporter Art Pedroza to Ward 3. Did Disney know they hired a Gay porn and NAMBLA promoter when hired him a year ago? Is that why Art can’t find work today?
“Pedroza for City Council?” Does that mean that I have to be his campaign manager again? Shit! Put me out of my misery now!!
Art isn’t fit to hold public office for a number of reasons. For a flyer that suggested just that 4 years ago, he can’t let go of it. Now that he’s lost his fourth election, perhaps the message will get through that his neighbors find him unelectable. If he did get elected, he’d be the most bribe-friendly public official in Santa Ana
The guy is being accused of moving his hand towards a vagina? Am I wrong or is one’s hand always in a state of moving towards or away from a Vagina? They have to write better laws than this. And if his hand was moving away from a Vagina does that mean that his hand was moving towards his penis? Thus masturbating?
three responses in a row about Pedroza instead of Bustamante? That is some sad crap. No wonder people read Pedroza more often than the Liberal O.C.
Ha Ha, funny. The only one that reads Pedroza is other Pedrozaphiles and bloggers like us who just want to see what kind of crack-brained stuff he can come up with.
The amazing thing about the Bustamante case is that T-Wreck has not arrested Tom Mauk and at least one of the Board of Supervisors for helping to cover up his (alleged) crimes. The County has more sexual harassment lawsuits against them than any other kind. Why? because they insist on covering up and paying off rather than arresting. In this case, Bustamante and T-Wreck aren’t exactly friends so, Tony was more than happy to bust him.
Still, he is innocent until proven guilty. So, let’s not hear a bunch of crap about how he should resign from the City Council.
Oh Jeff,
You had to put out the bait. I’ll take it.
Yes he should resign. If this were something new, something that had never happened before, that would be one thing. But the reality is that he left his previous job under the same cloud.
If he stays, there will be the constant crowds of people showing up at each council meeting demanding his resignation. for the sake of just getting stuff done, he should really focus on his own defense.
You and I both know that if there was any doubt in the minds of the DA Investigators, or the prosecutor, the charges would never have been filed. T-Rack has never been one to go after those who are politically connected unless there is no other choice.
For the sake of his wife and family he should try to plead out. They shouldn’t have to see all of the evidence laid out for all to see and for history to record.
I did it just for you, Chris. Of cpirse you are right nut, I hate to see a bunch of hacks come out of the woodwork with nothing to add to the thread except, “he should resign”.
T-wreck is the most corrupt DA in the state. Don’t expect him to burn any political bridges.
Just asking…was T-Wreck wrong in telling all, before Bustamantes due process? Would he have done this had it been someone else beside Carlos?
Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty, however many know it is true…sad thing is Carlos has lied so much, that he probably believes his lies too.
The SanTanna city council shoul replace one perv with another one. Appoint NAMBLA supporter Art Pedroza to Ward 3. Did Disney know they hired a Gay porn and NAMBLA promoter when hired him a year ago? Is that why Art can’t find work today?
“Pedroza for City Council?” Does that mean that I have to be his campaign manager again? Shit! Put me out of my misery now!!
Art isn’t fit to hold public office for a number of reasons. For a flyer that suggested just that 4 years ago, he can’t let go of it. Now that he’s lost his fourth election, perhaps the message will get through that his neighbors find him unelectable. If he did get elected, he’d be the most bribe-friendly public official in Santa Ana
The guy is being accused of moving his hand towards a vagina? Am I wrong or is one’s hand always in a state of moving towards or away from a Vagina? They have to write better laws than this. And if his hand was moving away from a Vagina does that mean that his hand was moving towards his penis? Thus masturbating?
three responses in a row about Pedroza instead of Bustamante? That is some sad crap. No wonder people read Pedroza more often than the Liberal O.C.
Ha Ha, funny. The only one that reads Pedroza is other Pedrozaphiles and bloggers like us who just want to see what kind of crack-brained stuff he can come up with.
The amazing thing about the Bustamante case is that T-Wreck has not arrested Tom Mauk and at least one of the Board of Supervisors for helping to cover up his (alleged) crimes. The County has more sexual harassment lawsuits against them than any other kind. Why? because they insist on covering up and paying off rather than arresting. In this case, Bustamante and T-Wreck aren’t exactly friends so, Tony was more than happy to bust him.
Still, he is innocent until proven guilty. So, let’s not hear a bunch of crap about how he should resign from the City Council.
Oh Jeff,
You had to put out the bait. I’ll take it.
Yes he should resign. If this were something new, something that had never happened before, that would be one thing. But the reality is that he left his previous job under the same cloud.
If he stays, there will be the constant crowds of people showing up at each council meeting demanding his resignation. for the sake of just getting stuff done, he should really focus on his own defense.
You and I both know that if there was any doubt in the minds of the DA Investigators, or the prosecutor, the charges would never have been filed. T-Rack has never been one to go after those who are politically connected unless there is no other choice.
For the sake of his wife and family he should try to plead out. They shouldn’t have to see all of the evidence laid out for all to see and for history to record.
I did it just for you, Chris. Of cpirse you are right nut, I hate to see a bunch of hacks come out of the woodwork with nothing to add to the thread except, “he should resign”.
T-wreck is the most corrupt DA in the state. Don’t expect him to burn any political bridges.
Just asking…was T-Wreck wrong in telling all, before Bustamantes due process? Would he have done this had it been someone else beside Carlos?
Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty, however many know it is true…sad thing is Carlos has lied so much, that he probably believes his lies too.