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Additional charges brought against Maralan

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The former manager of Sirous & Sons Rug Gallery in Laguna Beach was charged Friday with sexually assaulting three additional women, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan, 53, of Laguna Niguel was previously charged in September with the assault of eight women. Additional alleged victims have since come forward since the case’s prolific media coverage.

His alleged victim count now stands at 11.

The new charges are two felony counts of sexual battery by restraint and one misdemeanor count of indecent exposure, according to a news release.

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In November 2010, a 61-year-old woman went to the store on Ocean Avenue to pick up a rug. She alleges that Maralan took her to the back of the store, grabbed her waist and told her he “wanted her hips,” prosecutors said. She was able to escape.

In January 2009, a 47-year-old woman went to the store to get a rug cleaned. After she left, Maralan is accused of calling her repeatedly and asking her out to dinner until she agreed, prosecutors said. After the date, he allegedly locked her in his car and forced himself on her, touching and kissing her. She, too, was able to escape.

In August 2007, a 49-year-old woman went to the store to exchange a rug. Once there, Maralan is accused of taking her to the back of the store, pulling down his pants and exposing himself. He allegedly grabbed her hands and tried to get her to touch him. She was able to pull away, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Maralan faces a maximum sentence of 60 years to life in prison. He is police custody and being held on a $1.5-million bail.

His pretrial hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 17 at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

kelly.parker@latimes.com

Twitter: @KellyParkerTCN

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