Tag Archives: Juan Tavera

Orange County District Attorney  Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13HM05257: August 2, 2013

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR PEPPER SPRAYING TEEN’S PIZZA DURING TRAFFIC STOP

NEWPORT BEACH – An Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputy will be arraigned Monday for pepper spraying a teen’s pizza during a routine traffic stop. Juan Tavera, 30, is charged with one misdemeanor count of assault or battery by a public officer and faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail if convicted. Tavera is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, Aug. 5, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department H-8, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach.

At the time of the crime, Tavera was a 6-year veteran of the OCSD assigned to the South Operations Division/Contract City of Laguna Hills. Tavera is currently on paid administrative leave.

On Sept. 8, 2012, the defendant is accused of arriving on-scene after 19-year-old John Doe was pulled over by a different officer for a traffic infraction in Laguna Hills. Upon arriving, the defendant is accused of finding a pizza on the backseat of the victim’s car and pepper spraying the pizza without the victim’s knowledge. Continue reading→