Prosecutors mull plea offer in off-duty officers' rape case
Pictured (L-R): Anthony Nicholas Orban and Jeff Thomas Jelinek
RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Prosecutors are considering whether to offer a plea bargain to a correctional officer accused of aiding his friend in the alleged kidnap and rape of a woman at gunpoint.
The prosecutor in Anthony Orban and Jeff Jelinek's criminal case said today after a brief court hearing that her supervisors will ultimately decide whether to offer Jelinek a plea bargain.
"They don't know if they're going to make them an offer," Deputy District Attorney Debbie Ploghaus said. "They're kind of going back and forth."
Jelinek, who worked at the California Institution for Men in Chino, is accused of standing by as Orban, a Westminster police detective, allegedly kidnapped a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot at Ontario Mills.
Both men were off-duty and had been drinking heavily prior to the April 3 incident.
The woman, a 25-year-old waitress and mother, testified last month in a preliminary hearing that after she was kidnapped, Orban sexually assaulted and battered her for more than an hour.
Orban, who is charged with nine felonies, faces a maximum prison sentence of 25 years to life. Jelinek, 31, faces the same penalty because prosecutors allege he aided and abetted Orban.
Jelinek's presence beside Orban during the alleged kidnapping helped Orban by further intimidating the woman, prosecutors believe.
Jelinek picked up Orban after the alleged assault, attempted to erase text messages from Orban, and initially lied to police about what he saw, according to prosecutors.
One of Jelinek's attorneys, Ciprian Turcu, said he and Ploghaus have had informal discussions about a possible plea bargain for Jelinek. He said there hasn't been a definitive offer.
Orban and Jelinek's appearance today in West Valley Superior Court was largely uneventful. An Oct. 15 court date was scheduled for defense attorneys to introduce pre-trial motions in the case.
Turcu said he doesn't believe a trial will be held in the case until next year.
fuck them 2 piggs bern the fuckers
No deal. Rot in jail pig.
The DA can take that deal offer and shove up their azzez
Orban is lying about his memory loss. He is making excuses for his criminal psyche. He is a typical criminal and will more likely blame it on his military background and PTS. Jelinek is a pussy and didnt want to stand up what was right. He probably go his lunch money stolen from him when he was a kid and couldnt make it as a real cop so had to go to the state who hires anybody.