Celeste Guap charged with battery in rehab guard attack

(KTVU) Oakland - The star witness at the center of a Bay Area law-enforcement sex exploitation scandal was charged in Florida with simple battery for allegedly attacking a security guard at a rehab facility.

The self-described call girl, who goes by the name Celeste Guap, was charged with simple battery, a misdemeanor. She had originally been arrested on suspicion of felony aggravated battery.

The Martin County state attorney's office has offered a plea deal to Guap, but it's not clear whether she will accept it. Prosecutors declined to discuss the terms of the proposal deal.

Guap is a key witness against seven current or former Bay Area law-enforcement officers who are facing criminal charges in Alameda County. District Attorney Nancy O’Malley says she has not formally filed charges against the officers because she needs Guap to return to California first.

"We have to time it in a way that we know that we will have her back in the state, so that we can actually bring the case into court with a witness," O'Malley told a news conference Friday. "If we don’t have a witness, we can’t prosecute the case."

Critics have questioned why Richmond police helped Guap get to the rehab center when the department has officers under investigation for alleged sexual interactions with Guap.

Richmond city and police officials have said no city funds were used to pay for Guap's rehab; the Contra Costa County DA's office has since confirmed that it helped fill out paperwork for state victim's compensation funds to fly Guap out of state and register for treatment.

On Aug. 26, Guap was dropped off at San Francisco International Airport by a Richmond police sergeant who routinely works with victims of sexual assault. She flew to Florida begin a stint at a Stuart, Fla. rehab facility.

But just three days later, staff at the facility summoned Martin County sheriff's deputies, saying Guap was being disruptive, according to the police report.

According to the report, Guap wouldn't discuss the current incident. Instead, she referred to her past, discussing how many officers she had slept with in California and her past drug use.

The police report says Guap ran from the rehab facility, removed her shirt, and flashed passing cars.
A security officer convinced her to return to the facility, where the report says Guap became violent.
Guap stated she ripped a blind off the window.  She said she "blacks out" when she is angry and didn't remember the recent incident.

According to the affidavit, Guap stood in an aggressive manner, "balling her fists and taking a bladed stance."
She then walked over to a large countertop safe and tried to pull it down. According to the report, Guap lunged toward a female security officer. Another officer tried to intervene and she allegedly bit that officer on the forearm.

That security officer went to Martin Memorial Hospital for blood work.

Once under arrest, the report says Guap was in the backseat of a patrol car and began beating her head against the car window and had to be restrained further to prevent her from hurting herself.

"During the entire incident, and transport, Guap was attempting to solicit sex from deputies," according to the affidavit.