SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- A California man could be required to register as a sex offender if found guilty of discharging semen into a female colleague's water bottle.
Michael Kevin Lallana, 31, of Fullerton was charged Tuesday with misdemeanors, The Orange County Register reported. But Orange County prosecutors say if he is convicted of assault and releasing an offensive material he faces a stiffer sentence because the acts were committed for sexual reasons.
Lallana and the victim both worked for Northwestern Mutual Mortgage Co. Investigators say that in January she felt sick after drinking from her water bottle. When she felt the same symptoms in April, she sent the water for tests and received a report saying it contained semen.
Prosecutors say Lallana's DNA matches the semen found in the water.
"As far as we know, they were just colleagues," Deputy District Attorney Bobby Taghavi said. "But we do think he did it for sexual gratification."
Prosecutors said the charges are the most serious that could be brought in the case. If Lallana is convicted, he could be jailed for up to three years and required to register as a sex offender.
