Denise Christine Latta, 54, was arrested on Friday in Orange County, California
A woman has been accused of posing as a police officer in order to kidnap a female bar patron and grope her.
Denise Christine Latta, 54, was arrested on Friday following an investigation into the September 13 incident at a bar in Tustin, California, a city in Orange County on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Police say that Latta entered the Tustin Inn, a local watering hole, flashing an official looking badge and asking for the female victim by name.
Latta approached the woman at the bar and demanded her ID, according to police. When the woman handed over her driver’s license, Latta asked the bartender for scissors and cut up the the ID.
‘Both the bartender and the victim believed Latta was some sort of law enforcement,’ the Tustin Police Department said in a statement.
Latta allegedly used badges like the ones above, which police found when they arrested her, to dupe a female bar patron into believing she was some kind of police officer
Latta and the victim were both regulars at the Tustin Inn (above), where police say that Latta illegally detained and groped the woman in a bizarre encounter
Investigators say that Latta then hauled the victim out of the bar, and forced her to put her hands against the wall and spread her feet.
The victim said that Latta then gave her a police-style pat-down – but groped her breasts and groin over her clothing during the ‘search’.
Latta then told the victim that she wasn’t going to arrest her, and told her to leave and never come back to the bar, police said.
Patrons at the bar said that both the victim and Latta are regulars there – but said they have no idea why Latta would have a problem with her.
‘She’s just one of the local yokels like the rest of us,’ one bar regular told KTLA of the victim.
Another said of Latta: ‘I have seen her in that bar and she’s scary, I just stayed away from her.’
Police say they found the items above on Latta when they arrested her, including a stun gun that looks like a flashlight, mace, handcuffs, a radio and binoculars
Latta had badges and identification cards identifying herself as a bail agent. A search of California’s license database did not reveal any bail enforcement license in her name
When police tracked Latta down, she had fake badges reading ‘agent’ and ‘fugitive recovery agent’ as well as stun guns, handcuffs and other official-looking equipment, police said.
‘Latta represented herself to detectives as a private detective and bail enforcement officer, which she does not have the proper documentation to prove,’ the department said.
Latta’s LinkedIn profile picture is seen above
Latta’s LinkedIn page reveals that she claims to have founded a company called Elite Fugitive Recovery Services 18 years ago. A company of the same name was first registered in May of this year, state records show.
California state licensing databases do not list a bail bondsman license for Latta.
Police believe the incident at the Tustin Inn may not be an isolated incident, and have asked any other potential victims who may have had contact with Latta to come forward.
Latta has been charged with kidnapping, robbery, false imprisonment, sexual battery, and impersonating a police officer.
She is being held in the Orange County Jail pending bail of $100,000, and it is not clear if she has a lawyer to speak on her behalf. She is due in court on Monday.