Ladera Ranch Attorney Charged With Sexual Assault

LADERA RANCH, CA — A Ladera Ranch criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor was charged Tuesday with a felony count of sexual battery by restraint and misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and sexual battery by restraint, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Laguna Hills area attorney Adam Rudnick Stull, 56, who worked as a prosecutor in Kern County in the 1990s, is accused of restraining a woman and molesting her on Nov. 7, according to Deputy District Attorney Michael Carroll. The alleged assault happened somewhere in south Orange County, but Carroll declined to release any further details except to say that the woman, who was not identified, reported it to sheriff's investigators on Nov. 20.

Stull's attorney, Dana Cole, said the accuser is a former client. He said Stull was "shocked" by the charges and predicted that he "will be fully exonerated."

Stull, who is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 23, could face up to five years and five months behind bars if convicted.

Cole criticized the D.A.'s office for sending out a news release that outlined the charges and stated that investigators are concerned there may be more alleged victims. The statement encouraged anyone with information to call District Attorney's investigator Eric Wiseman at (714) 347-8794.

It's an "isolated allegation," the defense attorney said, adding that prosecutors have "scoured prior clients and have come up with nothing, so to send out something like that is reckless, particularly when they've already done an exhaustive investigation."

Stull is a "very good guy," Cole said. "He is beloved by the (State) Bar, a super nice guy."

The attorney said it would "seem appropriate" for the D.A.'s office to recuse itself from the case. He said Stull made a contribution to D.A. Tony Rackauckas' reelection campaign last month and noted that he sued Rackauckas' office in 2004 while representing a 16-year-old girl whose DNA was being sought by prosecutors.

In that case, the teen said she had a consensual relationship with Greg Haidl, the son of a former assistant sheriff who was convicted of participating in a gang rape of another 16-year-old girl, and did not wish to help prosecutors in the gang rape case.

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