Former Police sergeant faces charges of sexual assault and kidnapping

Charles “Chuck” William Starnes, III, 52, was apprehended by the US Marshals Service on October 29th. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office detailed the charges, which stem from incidents in 2007 and 2020.

Prosecutors allege that in March 2007, Starnes, who was then a police officer and president of the local police union, kidnapped a female colleague outside a Stanton bar. The alleged assault continued in the parking lot until other officers intervened.

In March 2020, Starnes is accused of sexually assaulting another female department employee while driving from a party in Long Beach. The vehicle was en route to the Garden Grove Police Association Stress Release Center, described as a police-run bar/lounge.

“The badge is not a shield from accountability,” stated Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “We are grateful that these acts of sexual violence have finally come to light so that justice can be pursued on behalf of these victims who suffered in silence.”

Starnes had been with the Garden Grove Police Department since 2005, previously serving as a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy. He held the position of sergeant in the Traffic Operations Unit and served as president of the Garden Grove Police Officers’ Association. He retired in May 2026 while on administrative leave due to a sexual harassment investigation.

During his arraignment on Friday, Starnes entered a not guilty plea and is currently held on $5 million bail, according to the Los Angeles Times. His attorney, Brian Gurwitz, maintains his client’s innocence and anticipates a courtroom presentation of the facts.

The Garden Grove Police Department has confirmed its cooperation with the ongoing investigation. If convicted on all charges, Starnes could face a sentence ranging from seven years to life, plus an additional 14 years in state prison.