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GUEST: Gustavo Arellano, Staff Writer for the OC Weekly, and Author of the “Ask a Mexican,” Book and Column

Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona, his wife, and his mistress are free on bail after being named in a federal indictment for corruption earlier this week. Sheriff Carona was detained in a cell before appearing in federal court handcuffed. The three are expected to return to court on Monday to enter their pleas. Charges in the indictment allege that Sheriff Carona engaged in a long-standing conspiracy to enrich himself, his wife and his mistress through giving special treatment and access to his department in return for cash and gifts. The indictment, which includes ten counts in all, traces conspiracy charges from 1998 before Carona was elected Sheriff, up until this past August when he allegedly tried to persuade associate Donald Haidl to lie under oath to a grand jury In addition to the indictment, charges were unsealed in the cases of two of Carona’s associates including Haidl and attorney George Jaramillo. Haidl, under a plea agreement, admitted to giving Sheriff Carona thousands of dollars in return for, among other things, being appointed Assistant Sheriff. Despite the charges of corruption, Carona’s has stated publicly that he will not step down as Sheriff. Many of his political supporters have been quiet in the wake of the indictment. An editorial in the Los Angeles Times, however, joined increasing calls for Sheriff Carona to turn in his badge and resign.

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