Woman arrested on suspicion of impersonating police officer, groping bar patron in Tustin

Tustin police this week arrested a woman they said impersonated a police officer and groped another woman outside a Tustin bar in September, authorities said.

Denise Christine Latta, 54, was taken into custody Thursday, Nov. 29, in Old Town Tustin by the Department’s Investigations Unit and Special Response Team, police said in a statement.

She was booked at the Orange County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping, robbery, false imprisonment, sexual battery and impersonating a police officer. She was being held on $100,000 bail, according to jail records.

Latta entered a bar in Tustin on Sept. 13 and approached the female victim and a bartender and presented a badge that looked similar to those worn by law enforcement officials, police said.

Latta forced the victim to show her identification card before grabbing it and cutting it into several pieces.

She then forced the victim to leave the bar and told her to put her hands on a wall and spread her feet, police said. Latta then searched the victim, touching her breast and groin area over the clothing, before demanding the victim leave and never return to the bar.

When police arrested Latta Thursday, she had fake badges, identification cards that read “Agent,” and clothing that read “Fugitive Recovery Agent,” police said, adding she presented herself to detectives as a private detective and bail enforcement officer, which she could not prove.

Detectives believe this was not an isolated incident, as Latta was found in possession of several other items, police said.

Latta was scheduled to appear in Central Jail Court Monday, Dec. 3, according to jail records.

Investigators are asking any potential victims to contact detectives at 714-573-3249.