CEO of Newport Beach food company, 59, QUITS after being charged with child prostitution ‘for having sex with two teenage girls’

The CEO of a California-based food company has resigned after he was charged and arrested for engaging in sexual relations with two underage girls, prosecutors said.

Ian Charles Schenkel, of Newport Beach, has formally stepped down from his role as chief executive officer of Haliburton International Foods on Friday. 

Schenkel, 59, founded Haliburton International Foods in 1992 and has overseen the company's expansion for the nearly three decades. 

Dan Glick, a longtime management and financial advisor to the company, was appointed to CEO as Schenkel's replacement, per a press release.

Ian Charles Schenkel , founder and CEO of Haliburton International Foods, allegedly engaged in underage prostitution with two teenage girls

Schenkel's resignation comes after he was accused of engaging in prostitution with a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl. 

Amanda Emilia Perez, of Huntington Beach, was also charged with pimping and pandering for arranging to bring the underage girls to him for sex. 

'The exploitation of children for sex acts shocks the public conscience,' said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

'It is reprehensible and it is unlawful. We will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and we will work to ensure the judicial system protects these vulnerable victims.'   

The investigation began in October 2019 after a father told Newport Beach authorities that his teenage daughter had inappropriate sexual conduct with Schenkel.

Authorities launched the investigation when a father told Newport Beach police that his daughter engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with Schenkel

The victim told police that Perez, 22, would take her to meet men, including Schenkel, who would allegedly pay her to have sex. Perez would take a cut of the money, prosecutors said.

Perez is accused of taking a second underage victim to Schenkel, who prosecutors said paid to have sex with teenager. Perez allegedly took a cut of that money, too. 

Schenkel has been charged with six felony counts and two misdemeanors regarding the allegations.

They included: one felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse, one felony count of sexual penetration with a foreign object with a victim under the age of 16 and one felony count of oral copulation of a person under the age of 16. 

Additionally, one felony count of a lewd act on a child 14 or 15 years old, one felony count of unlawful sex with a minor at least three years younger than the defendant, one felony count of sexual penetration with a foreign object of a victim under the age of 18, and two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution of a minor. 

He was released on $100,000 bond and, if convicted on all counts, could face up to eight years in prison and 728 days in county jail.

Haliburton International Foods was founded in 1992 and, following Schenkel's resignation, will be led by Dan Glick

Authorities added that Schenkel has an open driving under the influence case from November 2019, as well as an open case regarding a hit and run and driving on a suspended license from January 2020.

Perez was charged with one felony count of human trafficking of a victim under the age of 18, one felony count of pimping a prostitute under the age of 16 and one felony count of pandering with a minor under the age of 16. 

As well as one felony count of human trafficking of a victim under the age of 16, one felony count of pimping of a minor over the age of 16, and one felony count of pandering with a minor for the purposes of prostitution.

She posted a $70,000 bond and, if convicted on all charges, could face 14 years and eight months in state prison.  

Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying additional potential victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Newport Beach Police at 949-644-3790.