Prosecutors Add More Sex Charges Against Laguna Beach Rug Store Owner
SANTA ANA (CBS) — Prosecutors added more charges Friday against a registered sex offender accused of sexually assaulting multiple women in his family's Laguna Beach rug store.
Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan, 53, of Laguna Niguel, is now facing charges involving three additional alleged victims, bringing the number to 11, according to Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Maralan's bail was set at $1.5 million, defense attorney Glenn Osajima said, declining further comment.
Maralan initially faced charges related to four alleged victims. Publicity about the case, which was initially filed Sept. 6, led four other alleged victims between the ages of 35 and 51 to come forward.
Maralan pleaded not guilty Sept. 16 to charges involving those four women.
Details on the latest charges were not immediately available. But in the earlier cases, the eight women alleged they were assaulted at Maralan's family-run rug store, Sirous and Sons, at 222 Ocean Ave.
Maralan allegedly sexually assaulted a 51-year-old woman who lived upstairs from the rug store several times between May and July 2007.
He was also accused last month of raping a 48-year-old woman in April 2010 after she came to the store to sell rugs. A 35-year-old woman told investigators that Maralan groped her breasts and showed her a pornographic photo on his computer in December 2009; and a 44-year-old woman alleged that the defendant grabbed her by the wrist in June 2009, saying that he loved her, was lonely and wanted a hug and kiss.
Maralan was also previously charged with sexually assaulting a 40-year- old woman in April 2010; raping a 23-year-old woman who worked at the store on May 15, 2010; and kissing a 25-year-old woman interviewing for a job on Aug. 13.
He is also accused of showing pornographic photos on his computer to a 17-year-old intern at the store on March 3 of this year.
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