Former Picus Aide Admits Taking $3,134 From Elderly Man

An ex-aide to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joy Picus pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing more than $3,000 from an elderly constituent who had sought help in making a donation to the National Organization for Women in memory of his deceased wife.

In a plea bargain with prosecutors, Carlotta Z. Olguin, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of felony grand theft in Los Angeles Superior Court. Olguin, who is free on her own recognizance, will be sentenced by Judge David Horowitz on May 25. The maximum sentence she could receive would be one year in County Jail, said her attorney, Robert F. Johnson.

Olguin resigned March 18 from her position in Picus’ office, where she had worked for eight years specializing in senior citizen and Latino affairs, said Susan Pasternak, press aide for Picus.

In December, Olguin diverted $3,134.94 that Jack Newman, 76, had earmarked as a contribution to NOW to honor his deceased wife, who was active in feminist causes, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Edward G. Feldman.

Olguin accompanied Newman to a Valley Federal Savings & Loan branch in Woodland Hills, where he withdrew the money from his account and took out a cashier’s check in Olguin’s name, Feldman said.

Olguin received $2,000 in cash and deposited the rest into her account at a Bank of America branch in Panorama City, Feldman said.

Eight weeks later, Newman contacted the local chapter of NOW to find out why he had not received an acknowledgement of his donation, Newman testified during the preliminary hearing last month.

He testified that he confronted Olguin after he learned that no contribution had been made in his name. She denied taking the money and told him that she would notify him as soon as she received word that NOW had received the check.

‘Crime of Opportunity’

“None of the money ever went to NOW,” Feldman said. “Basically, it was a crime of opportunity, nothing more complex than that.”

When Newman did not hear from Olguin, he went to the police. She was arrested Feb. 18.

Olguin returned the misappropriated money along with $44 in interest to Newman after her arrest, Johnson said.

“It was a very foolish thing on her part that could be looked at as out-and-out theft,” Johnson said after his client’s decision to plead guilty and avoid a jury trial.

The plea bargain “seemed to be a very practical, common-sense resolution to the case,” he said.

Neither Olguin nor Newman could be reached for comment.

Johnson said Olguin told him that she was stricken with remorse over the theft.

“She just feels terrible about it,” Johnson said. “To use her words, ‘This is the worst thing that’s ever happened in my entire lifetime.’

“She didn’t need to steal it. Sometimes people do things they just don’t have an explanation for.”

Picus said it has not been office policy for aides to help constituents with personal financial matters.

“She had no authority to assist him outside of my office,” Picus said in February.

Upon hearing of Olguin’s guilty plea, employees at Picus’ office expressed regret about the incident.

“The councilwoman and the entire staff are saddened by the whole episode,” Pasternak said. “Hopefully, it’s over with now.”