The Associated Press
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- FBI agents raided the office of an assistant sheriff who was fired amid an investigation into his handling of a gang rape case involving a colleague’s teenage son.
The FBI confirmed that George Jaramillo is the target of a corruption and misconduct probe, but declined to elaborate. Orange County sheriff’s spokesman Jon Fleischman said the raid took place Saturday, but declined to say what evidence was seized.
Jaramillo’s lawyer, Peter Scalisi, declined to comment.
Jaramillo was fired last week, months after a grand jury began investigating his handling of a rape case involving Gregory Haidl, 18.
Haidl is one of three youths charged with gang raping an unconscious 16-year-old girl during a 2002 party at the home of his father, Assistant Sheriff Donald Haidl. Police in Newport Beach accused Jaramillo of interfering with the investigation by advising the teen not to speak with detectives.
Defense attorneys have maintained that the alleged assault, which was videotaped, was consensual.
In an audiotape obtained by KCBS-TV last year, Jaramillo and two other sheriff’s officials can be heard discussing how to silence another incident involving Greg Haidl and marijuana.
Jaramillo also came under fire last year for using a sheriff’s helicopter to shuttle him and his wife to Long Beach Airport for a flight to a White House event. He reimbursed the county $241.
Fleischman said Jaramillo was fired after Sheriff Michael Carona decided to re-evaluate his executive staff, and that the move had nothing to do with the controversies.