Sex Offender Faces Nearly A Dozen Rape And Assault Charges
SANTA ANA (CBS) — Prosecutors added more charges Friday against a registered sex offender who faces nearly a dozen rape and sexual assault charges involving a total of eight alleged victims.
They were allegedly assaulted at his family's rug store in Laguna Beach.
Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan, 53, of Laguna Niguel, pleaded not guilty to the new charges involving four women between the ages of 35-51.
The women were allegedly assault at the rug store, Sirous and Sons, at 222 Ocean Ave.
Maralan posted $1 million bail last weekend, but was re-arrested by Laguna Beach police this week after the additional alleged victims came forward.
At today's arraignment, Maralan was placed under a $2 million bail.
The new cases state that he allegedly sexually assaulted a 51-year-old woman who lived upstairs from the rug store several times between May and July 2007.
Another charge also involves a 48-year-old woman who Maralan allegedly raped in April 2010 after she came to the store to sell rugs.
The new charges also include a 35-year-old woman who is accusing Maralan of grabbing her breasts and showing her a pornographic photograph.
He is being charged with two counts of forcible rape, sexual battery by restraint and sexual penetration by a foreign object by force, and one count of attempted forcible oral copulation, exhibition of lewd material to a minor and attempted forcible rape – all felonies, according to court record.
Maralan could face up to 50 years to life in prison if convicted.
