NEWPORT BEACH : Police Use Subpoena in Sexual-Calls Case

Label this mystery a who’s-doing-it.

Someone out there is calling women, telling them he’s been hired by their husbands or boyfriend to provide sexual fantasies if they’ll slip into something more comfortable and join in as he narrates.

Now, city sleuths are trying an innovative gambit to ferret out the caller, who is believed to have harassed about 200 women in Newport Beach and Irvine since February.

The city of Newport Beach has filed a civil lawsuit against the unknown man--calling him only John Doe--as a way to get at private phone-company records that might help locate him.

“It’s somewhat unusual, but that’s dictated by what kind of a case this is,” said Newport Beach police Lt. Paul Henisey

The suit, filed last week in Orange County Superior Court, seeks an injunction to prevent more of the fantasy phone calls.

More important, police said, it allows them to subpoena Pacific Bell records that would reflect the source of calls made to victims’ homes. Police are unable to get a search warrant for the records because the alleged offense--making annoying phone calls--is a misdemeanor, Henisey said. He said the company has rejected requests for the records, citing privacy considerations.

City officials, who already have served the phone company with one subpoena, are now talking with company representatives, said City Atty. Robert Burnham. “We hope to get the phone records soon,” he said.

Police said the women appear to have been chosen from the membership lists of social clubs and homeowner groups. The caller knows the victim’s name and also names the husband or boyfriend he says solicited the fantasy call.

After describing relaxation and breathing techniques, the caller turns to sexual themes and asks the woman to join in. Most of the victims hang up quickly, Henisey said.