Ex-Garden Grove police sergeant kidnapped, assaulted coworker, prosecutor says

Fox News (US)IndependentCenterNov 4

Federal authorities have charged a 39-year-old man, Adam Hunter Harmel, with kidnapping and sexually assaulting Kylie Arellano, who disappeared from Utah in May 2025 at age 15. According to court documents, Harmel allegedly met the teen via Snapchat, confined her to his basement in Oregon, and subjected her to physical violence and repeated sexual assault over a period of approximately 18 months. To obscure her identity, the complaint states he forced her to remove her dental braces using pliers. Law enforcement recovered the teenager in November 2025 after she revealed her location to another user during an online session of the video game Among Us. The Department of Justice noted that the grooming process occurred on digital platforms frequently associated with extremist groups seeking illicit content.

Bias read (Center): The article relies exclusively on legal complaints and official DOJ statements regarding a specific criminal incident, presenting factual allegations without ideological framing or partisan commentary.

Los Angeles TimesIndependent🔒CenterOct 31

Former Garden Grove police sergeant Charles William Starnes II was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service and charged with multiple felonies, including kidnapping and sexual assault, involving a fellow officer in 2007 and a civilian employee in 2020. Prosecutors allege that Starnes dragged a female officer from a bar into a parking lot in 2007 and assaulted another woman in a vehicle in 2020. Starnes, who served as president of the local police association before retiring in May, pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $5 million bail. His attorney stated that Starnes denies the allegations and wants the case resolved in court. The Garden Grove Police Department confirmed the investigation is ongoing, while the Orange County District Attorney emphasized that law enforcement badges do not exempt individuals from accountability.

Bias read (Center): The article relies exclusively on official legal records, prosecutorial statements, and direct quotes from both the defense and the police department, presenting the facts without editorializing or taking a partisan stance.