“America’s Sheriff” Michael S. Carona in a starring role, co-starring Businessman Donald Haidl, Attorney Joseph G. Cavallo and Asst. Sheriff George Jaramillo, a story best explained by alcoholism run amok
“America’s Sheriff” Michael S. Carona: Is He Merely Corrupt, or is He Alcoholic?
Orange County, CA Sheriff Michael S. Carona, 52, was once dubbed “America’s Sheriff” by Larry King, courted by former White House aide Karl Rove and groomed as a prospective Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of CA. He gained nationwide recognition after leading the search for the kidnapper of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion in 2002. Carona, who is a self-styled “conservative Christian,” now faces federal charges on 10 counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and tampering with a grand jury witness. His wife, Deborah Carona, 56, has been indicted on one count of conspiracy. His alleged long-time former mistress, attorney Debra V. Hoffman, 41, has been charged on eight counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and bankruptcy fraud.
Center one in this complex tale is businessman Donald Haidl, father of Gregory Haidl, one of three teenagers convicted in the infamous 2005 Orange County, CA gang-rape trial reported in the March 2005 issue of TAR (highly recommended re-reading, by the way). Haidl turned enabling into an expensive art form by reportedly paying over a million dollars for his son’s failed defense. After grossing $100 million a year in a prior life selling surplus police cars and assets seized by law enforcement agencies, he has brokered a plea agreement in a related case. Prosecutors claim that Haidl has been lining Carona’s pockets for years in exchange for making Haidl an assistant sheriff–although he lacked the requisite experience–and allowing him access to Carona’s department (helpful for a man in Haidl’s position). According to the indictment, he made a “loan” of $110,000 to Hoffman’s law firm, paid a $1,000 monthly stipend to Carona for doing no work as a director on a Haidl-company board and gave cash, vacations and lavish gifts (including luxury box seats to the World Series, Mont Blanc pens and Ladies’ Cartier watches) to the three now under indictment.
Center two is attorney Joseph G. Cavallo, 52, who was Greg Haidl’s lead attorney and who has since pleaded guilty to a kickback scheme in which bail bondsmen steered business his way. Inmates were paid a “bounty” for “forcefully” recommending certain lawyers and bail bondsmen to detainees. The federal indictment alleges that Sheriff Carona introduced employees and their relatives to Cavallo as “the sheriff’s attorney.” A portion of awards was allegedly funneled back to Carona and his co-conspirators. If the level of fear of retribution by and disgust with Carona among department veterans over such alleged schemes is any indication of guilt, Carona should go down in flames. Cavallo, appearing contrite during his plea appearance, has called Carona, against whom at least four women have made sex allegations, a “serial adulterer.”
Center three is former Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo, 47, who admitted to collecting cash and gifts in the Cavallo kickback scheme worth about $45,000 and concealing the income on his tax returns. Incredibly, Cavallo defended him prior to his admission of guilt. It’s apparent that Jaramillo, formerly Carona’s number two officer, along with Cavallo and Haidl, will testify to the kickback scheme. Jaramillo, a Mormon who claims not to drink, provoked laughter among cops who worked with him before he was fired when he initially proclaimed his innocence. He has openly celebrated being a serial adulterer and bragged about trysts with a porn star, who according to FBI reports of phone records he once called seven times in seven minutes. As explained in How to Spot Hidden Alcoholics: Using Behavioral Clues to Recognize Addiction in its Early Stages, such “telephonitis,” along with serial adultery and taking part in kickbacks, are traits far more common to alcoholics than to others, especially when packaged.
Obviously, the behaviors of all involved indicate alcoholism. Further evidence of a culture of alcoholism-fueled egomania is found among other former allies of Carona, who were often made “reserve deputies,” recipients of badges, weapons permits and powers of arrest even though lacking the training and background checks mandated by the state. Stephen Mensinger, president and chief operations officer of Arnel Management Co., one of Southern California’s largest apartment owners, allegedly represented himself as a deputy sheriff to an airline employee when he found his baggage, including guns and game meat, was missing after returning from a hunting trip. He allegedly became agitated and loud, referring to the attendant as a “dumb blond,” snapping pictures of her with his cell phone and screaming at her he could have her fired. Carona’s former martial arts instructor, Raymond K. Yi, 44, was arrested for allegedly flashing his badge and gun at a group of golfers he thought were playing too slowly. One of the golfers said that Yi threatened to kill them and added, “It was a scary feeling. He was acting so erratic and odd…it was like he was in a road rage.” An unnamed owner of an upscale Las Vegas restaurant angrily flashing his badge while trying to park illegally in Newport Beach and was subsequently forced to give up the Carona-supplied perk. Businessman Charles Gabbard, 70, who according to investigative journalist R. Scott Moxley is “a convicted murderer, robber, thief and Carona breakfast partner [who] narrowly avoided charges for depositing $40,000 in illegal campaign contributions in Carona’s [2002 re-election] campaign account after getting [the] sheriff to write an official letter endorsing a Gabbard invention.”
R. Scott Moxley, a journalist for the Orange County Weekly who has been following all the related cases for several years, has said Cavallo and Carona “have consumed plenty of alcohol together” and were “drinking buddies” for 26 years. Grown men do not have “drinking buddies” unless drinking is a really important part of their lives. Anyone for whom drinking is that important is, typically, alcoholic. Alcoholism causes egomania, indications of which all of those involved have exhibited. In almost every case sources inside the Sheriff’s department have spoken only on condition of anonymity, fearing retaliation. One of the myths of addiction described in Alcoholism Myths and Realities: Removing the Stigma of Society’s Most Destructive Disease is “He would never do that!” Considering the fact that alcoholics are capable of anything, including making false accusations and unspeakable acts of revenge, the sources are very wise.
Sheriff Carona says he looks forward to his day in court and that he will be vindicated. Before his plea, Cavallo said, “I’m confident that I’ll win. I’ve done nothing wrong.” When he initially pleaded “not guilty” to the accusations against him, Jaramillo said he “has never, never broken a law.” Alcoholics have a sense of entitlement and invincibility that explains such apparent confidence. Because Sheriff Michael Carona exhibits such traits, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that alcoholism explains–but does not excuse–what appear to be awful behaviors while in office.