OC Man Pleads Guilty to Stalking Judge

Norwalk (myFOXla.com) - A 23-year-old Laguna Beach man pleaded guilty Thursday to stalking a judge after receiving a court-offered plea deal.

Daniel Joseph Gidanian pleaded guilty to felony stalking and misdemeanor annoying and harassing telephone calls and prowling, according to Orange County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami.

Because all the Orange County Superior Court judges recused themselves from the case, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals heard the complaint and offered the plea deal.

Gidanian faces a sentence of probation up to three years in state prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 9.

Gidanian appeared before Judge Derek Johnson at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach Sept. 15, 2008, Emami said. He requested that an arrest record related to a restraining order be expunged, Emami said.

Gidanian grew angry when the case was delayed until the afternoon and argued with the judge who told him to return to court the next day, Emami said.

When Gidanian returned the next day he asked that his case be transferred to another court and Johnson obliged.

However, between Sept. 27, 2008, and Dec. 24, 2008, Gidanian repeatedly showed up in Johnson's courtroom and called on him despite not having a case there, Emami said. Gidanian called the court once asking for the judge's home address, Emami said.

Gidanian, at some point, obtained the court clerk's home phone and called her many times, Emami said.

Orange County sheriff's investigators contacted Gidanian and told him to leave the clerk and judge alone, Emami said. However, on Dec. 22, Gidanian called the judge's courtroom again and his wife at her work place and left messages that there would be "serious consequences" and "hell to pay" if the judge did not leave him alone, Emami said.

On Christmas Eve, Gidanian drove to the judge's home and parked his car outside the house for several hours, Emami said. When the judge got home and confronted him, Gidanian left, Emami said.