D.A. releases details of indictment

Orange County District Atty. Tony Rackauckas announced charges

against a high profile defense attorney and another man at a news

conference Friday.

The charges against attorney Joseph Cavallo -- perhaps best known

in Newport-Mesa for his defense of the son of an assistant sheriff in

a gang-rape case -- were outlined in a grand jury indictment. The

indictment alleges that Cavallo had an illegal relationship with the

partners of a Santa Ana bail bond agency from June 2003 to August.

Deputy District Atty. Ebrahim Baytieh said the investigation began in

early 2004. Rackauckas said he did not expect future indictments

against additional bail bond agencies or attorneys.

Cavallo, whose law practice is based in Irvine, is accused of

three felonies. The indictment alleges that the partners of Santa

Ana-based Xtreme Bail Bonds participated in a conspiracy in which

bail agents illegally referred clients to Cavallo. The partners of

the bail bond agency were Jorge Andres Castro and Alejandro de Jesus

Cruz.

Castro was indicted along with Cavallo. An arrest warrant has been

issued Cruz, whose whereabouts are unknown.

Cavallo and Castro were in court Friday, and their arraignment was

postponed till Nov. 4.

If convicted, Cavallo could face a maximum sentence of three years

and eight months in prison. Castro was indicted of two other counts

and could serve a maximum of five years in prison.

Cavallo is being defended by John Barnett, and Castro is being

defended by Pete Scalisi, Barnett said. Cavallo, Barnett and Scalisi

represented Greg Haidl and two others accused of sexually assaulting

a 16-year-old girl in the Corona del Mar home of Greg Haidl’s father,

former Orange County Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl. The three, who were

teenagers at the time of the assault in 2002, accused in the rape

case were convicted in March and are in jail awaiting sentencing.

Cavallo no longer represents Haidl.

In a telephone interview following the news conference, Barnett

said the timing of the indictment appears suspicious. Barnett pointed

to Cavallo’s criticisms of the district attorney’s office during the

Haidl trial as well as Cavallo’s defense of former Orange County

Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo, and a civil case in which Cavallo

alleged he was threatened by Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona for

defending Jaramillo.

The Los Angeles Times reported in September that Cavallo alleged

he was warned by Carona that there would be consequences if he

continued to represent Jaramillo.

At the news conference, Rackauckas dismissed the idea that the

charges were biased. He said Cavallo was indicted because

investigators found evidence of criminal activity, not because he

vigorously defended his clients.