Laguna Beach merchant and sex offender is arrested in four attacks

A Laguna Beach rug store owner accused of sexually assaulting a female customer in April 2010 and raping an employee a month later was not arrested until 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, 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 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. The case was turned over to prosecutors on Friday.

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 in the city, in April 2010 after he took a female customer to a storage room where he grabbed and kissed her, according to prosecutors. As she tried to flee, Maralan allegedly pulled down the victim’s pants and attempted to rape her. He then pulled down her shirt to expose a breast and licked her before ejaculating, according to prosecutors. The woman reported the assault that day.