Planned Parenthood sexual battery suspect found incompetent to stand trial

Marcelo Arancibia
Marcelo Arancibia

BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer

A Redwood City man who was arrested for sexual battery at the Planned Parenthood clinic in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood has been found incompetent to stand trial by a doctor.

Marcelo Arancibia, 38, will be placed in a local mental health program until he is “restored” to mental competency.

On Aug. 23, Arancibia’s attorney, Gabriella Guraiib, questioned whether her client is mentally stable enough to go through trial. At that point, the court appointed a doctor to determine whether Arancibia could handle court proceedings.

Arancibia was arrested on Aug. 10 after he repeatedly brushed his clothed privates on a 22-year-old woman’s behind while standing in line at the clinic, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. After the woman signed in for her appointment, Arancibia made his own appointment and then sat down next to the woman, locked eyes with her and began pleasuring himself, said Wagstaffe.

Employees at the clinic jumped into action and sequestered Arancibia into a back room, where he waited until police came to arrest him, said Wagstaffe.

Arancibia was originally booked into jail for sexual battery, a felony, and indecent exposure, a misdemeanor.

However, in court on Friday Arancibia was charged with misdemeanors for both indecent exposure and sexual battery.

Wagstaffe previously said since Arancibia’s inappropriate touching was between clothed body parts, his office could only charge Arancibia with misdemeanor sexual battery.

Wagstaffe said if his office had evidence to charge Arancibia, a second striker, with a felony, they “absolutely” would have charged him.

Arancibia remains in jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.

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