SANTA ANA, CALIF. — Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona was charged Tuesday with accepting bribes for political favors and pressing witnesses to lie to authorities investigating whether he used his office to enrich himself.
Also named in the federal indictment were Carona’s wife and a woman identified as his longtime mistress. The case involved more than $350,000 in illegal contributions, including cash and gifts.
Carona, 52, was expected to surrender to federal authorities today in Santa Ana, said U.S. attorney’s spokesman Thom Mrozek.
Also expected to surrender were his wife, Deborah, and lawyer Debra Victoria Hoffman, identified in court papers as his mistress.
The sheriff’s attorney, H. Dean Steward, did not immediately return an e-mail requesting comment.
Two former assistant sheriffs, Donald Haidl and George Jaramillo, previously pleaded guilty to related charges as part of a deal with prosecutors. Jaramillo, serving a 12-month term on state charges, cooperated with federal investigators to bring the case against Carona, his attorney said.
The indictment unsealed Tuesday charges the sheriff, his wife and Hoffman with conspiracy to accept bribes in exchange for political favors. Sheriff Carona also is charged with witness tampering, and Hoffman faces one count of bankruptcy fraud.
Carona’s wife faces one count of conspiracy.
The scheme allegedly began in 1998 when Haidl solicited donations to Carona’s election campaign and then reimbursed donors to hide the money trail, according to the indictment.
After Carona was elected, Haidl, a wealthy businessman, paid for a Lake Tahoe vacation for Carona, Jaramillo, himself and their spouses, officials said. He also gave Carona a boat in 2001 and the personal use of his yacht and private plane, the indictment alleges.
Haidl allegedly continued to pay Carona $1,000 a month in cash for “full access to sheriff’s department resources” and a “get out of jail free card” for friends and family members, according to the indictment.
