Orange County Sheriff

Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona has been indicted on federal corruption charges stemming from a lengthy investigation into allegations that he had misused his office for financial gain, law enforcement officials said Monday. The indictment, filed under seal, is expected to be made public soon, perhaps as early as today, officials said. A one-time close friend of Carona, former Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo, already has pleaded guilty in the case, his attorney confirmed Monday.

Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona began breaking the law even before he got elected, according to a federal indictment released Tuesday, engaging in a broad conspiracy to enrich himself and his former mistress by trading access to his department for a steady stream of cash and gifts.

Orange County's conservative mandarins, who for years voiced nearly unbridled support for Sheriff Michael S. Carona, were largely silent Tuesday. Only Supervisor John Moorlach issued a clear position -- a call for the county's top lawman to step down after being indicted on corruption charges by a federal grand jury. Carona on Tuesday denied any wrongdoing and vowed to stay in office.

Flanked by two attorneys and a public relations advisor, Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona met with reporters one on one Tuesday, hours after he was named in a 10-count federal indictment accusing him of widespread corruption. The 20 or so reporters waiting outside his office were expecting to hear his side of the story. Each had a strictly enforced time limit of five minutes with the sheriff, just enough for two or three questions. And there was no shortage of potential questions.

As Michael S. Carona sat handcuffed in federal court Wednesday, Orange County officials faced the problem of fighting crime while their sheriff fights corruption charges. Carona's federal indictment has made some county officials uncomfortable with him remaining in office, but they said they had few options. County Supervisor John Moorlach proposed a ballot measure Wednesday that would allow the board to remove Carona, but it would take four months to get it before voters.

Is Michael S. Carona required to step down as Orange County sheriff because he has been indicted? No. California law would force him out of his job only if he is convicted of a felony. Has an indicted sheriff ever remained in office? Yes. Two California sheriffs have been indicted on public corruption charges since 1989. Both stayed in office several months before resigning. Each was eventually convicted of the crimes. Can the Orange County Board of Supervisors force Carona out?

Six years ago, Brad Warner slipped into a coma after routine knee surgery for an old injury that the twice-decorated Orange County sheriff's deputy suffered subduing a suspect. Sheriff Michael S. Carona joined the family at the hospital in a vigil that ended with Warner's shocking death at age 46.

Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona's indictment on seven federal charges continued to reverberate Thursday through the county political establishment and statewide law enforcement community, and pressure built for him to step aside. "I've got quite a few calls on it," said Chris Norby, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, "and they're running overwhelmingly that there needs to be a change there in the department and that we need to get behind this.

Turning up the pressure on Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona to step aside, the county's district attorney on Friday urged the county's top lawman to take a leave of absence while he fights sweeping corruption charges. Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking them to pass a resolution asking Carona to step aside and appoint a qualified member of his command staff to take over.

Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona, his wife and his former mistress pleaded not guilty Monday to federal corruption charges as county leaders prepared to debate the lawman's future amid a cascade of calls for his resignation. Carona's indictment has clouded his future and sent political leaders trying to persuade him to step away from the day-to-day operation of the state's second-largest sheriff's department.