Laguna Beach rug store owner charged with four sex crimes

A Laguna Beach rug store owner accused of sexually assaulting a female customer in April 2010 and raping an employee a month later was arrested last week — nearly a year and a half after the incidents were reported and during which time he allegedly harassed a minor and attacked another woman.

Saeid B. Maralan, 53, of Laguna Niguel, who is a registered sex offender, was taken into custody Thursday in connection with sex crimes involving four victims. Orange County prosecutors said Tuesday that he is charged with rape, attempted forcible rape, sexual penetration by a foreign object and distributing pornography to a minor.

In each case, the victim reported the crime within a day of the incident, said Farrah Emami, a district attorney’s spokeswoman.

Laguna Beach police said their investigation was hampered by two victims they described as “uncooperative.” In addition, police sent in an undercover female officer, but she left the store as Maralan was “about to go further,” Lt. Jason Kravetz said.

Laguna Beach began investigating Maralan, who operates Sirous and Sons Rug Gallery on Ocean Avenue, in April 2010 after a female customer reported that he took her to a storage room and attempted to rape her. As she tried to flee, Maralan allegedly pulled down the victim’s pants and shirt, prosecutors said.

An employee in Maralan’s store alleged that she was raped in a storage room May 15, 2010. Maralan is accused of pushing her against a stack of rugs and raping her.

Then, in March 2011, a 17-year-old female intern reported to Laguna Beach police that Maralan had shown her pornography. A police search of the store uncovered evidence of the pornography, authorities said.

On Aug. 13, Maralan allegedly sexually molested a potential female employee during a job interview, authorities said.

The first two victims refused to cooperate with investigators, police said. “Obviously, we don’t just drop cases,” Kravetz said, adding that detectives tried to persuade the victims to change their minds.

Police also sent an undercover female detective into the store. “She got into the back area with him. Right as he was about to go further, she stopped and left the store,” Kravetz said.

Maralan asked a second undercover detective out to dinner and a trip to Europe, “but he did not make any sexual moves on her,” Kravetz said.

He said investigators finally got a break when the 17-year-old intern came forward with exact details of Maralan allegedly showing her online pornography. Police verified the account with a forensic examination of the computer.

Maralan has a prior conviction for sexual battery. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 34 years to life in state prison, Emami said.

richard.winton@latimes.com