Councilman Castañeda arrested on domestic violence charges.

Update: Prosecutors said they will reach a decision Monday on whether or not charges will be appropriate for Jose Castañeda.

Salinas City Councilman Jose Castañeda has been charged with felony kidnapping, false imprisonment and domestic violence stemming from an incident in which he allegedly forced his ex-girlfriend into his van, drove her away from her home, prevented her from leaving and struck her several times during a nearly four-hour ordeal.

Salinas City Attorney Chris Callihan says he will begin researching the city charter to see whether Castañeda, if convicted, can be removed from office. 

Castañeda surrendered to Salinas police this afternoon, just after he finished a press conference outside Salinas City Hall regarding an effort to recall him from office and a civil claim he's filed against the city.

According to Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin, detectives have been trying to interview Castañeda for several days and told him he was the subject of a criminal investigation, but that he did not return messages and couldn't be located.

A "be on the lookout" notice for Castañeda was issued to Salinas patrol officers yesterday. The surrender was arranged via Castañeda's attorney, Anthony Prince.

City officials, including City Attorney Chris Callihan, Mayor Joe Gunter and City Manager Ray Corpuz, held a press conference at 3pm to detail the allegations against the beleaguered councilman.

According to McMillin, the alleged victim, whose name is not being released, came forward on Sept. 8 to report the incident. She told investigators Castañeda, her ex-boyfriend, was waiting for her outside her home before midnight on Sept. 4.

When she returned from an evening out, Castañeda allegedly forced her into his van, locked the doors and drove her to a location elsewhere in the city. He allegedly prevented her from leaving for three and a half hours, and struck her several times. 

He eventually allowed her to leave the vehicle early on Sept. 5, and she walked home. McMillin said the woman wasn't seriously injured, but had visible bruises when police interviewed her. 

During the press conference, McMillin issued a warning: Witness intimidation would not be tolerated, during this or any other case. 

"The victim in this case is very frightened," McMillin said, adding that no intimidation has taken place. "We take witness intimidation very seriously and we won't hesitate to act.

He called her reporting the incident "a lesson in courage."

"She's very nervous and remains very nervous," McMillin said, "and she says part of her fear has to do with Mr. Castañeda's status in the community."

Castañeda is being held at Monterey County Jail on $100,000 bail. It's not clear when he will be arraigned.

At the press conference, Gunter, a former Salinas Police detective, appeared visibly disgusted at the latest turn of events. He said he doesn't believe the voters of Castañeda's district will put up with it come election time.

"He's caused embarrassment both to the community…and forced the police department to spend their energies on another individual who didn't want to obey the law," Gunter says. "I'm sure the courts will take the appropriate action.

"It doesn't say anything bad about the city," Gunter added. "This is one individual's actions."

The arrest comes on the heels of a recall effort underway to oust Castañeda from office, as well as other pending investigations by officials into his conduct, and questions about whether he can be forced from his seat. 

Juan Sandoval is currently circulating a petition to recall Castañeda; he is required to submit 1,575 signatures of District 1 voters by Nov. 23 to qualify for a recall election, which would likely be scheduled for early next year.

If the recall petition is successful, there will be a nomination period for a successor who would take over in the event Castañeda is recalled. Brian Contreras, the executive director of Second Chance, a gang intervention and youth engagement program, has announced his intention to seek the nomination to replace Castañeda. 

At his press conference Thursday morning, just before his arrest, Castañeda delivered a generous message to Contreras and others who oppose him. 

He invited them to join his forthcoming federal lawsuit against the city of Salinas, alleging the city has violated the voting rights act by suppressing his ability to represent the people who elected him. 

"[Sandoval and Contreras] should join this lawsuit, because they'll be facing the same thing," Castañeda said.

"This is nothing against the candidates. Whether it's Mr. Contreras or myself, they're going to run into the same roadblocks I've been facing since I was elected in 2012." 

Several hours after the arrest, Anthony Prince issued a statement saying he had spent several hours with Castañeda at the jail and called the charges "totally fabricated."

One of Castañeda's complaints against the city is that police utilized selective enforcement, targeting him in a traffic stop last spring in an effort to silence him. In addition to the traffic stop, Castañeda was investigated earlier this year after he allegedly assaulted a man who was attempting to deliver tamales to Castañeda's grandmother. He was not charged into connection with that incident.

On Aug. 18, Salinas City Council voted 6-0 to censure Castañeda. To censure an elected official is effectively to deliver a public reprimand; it doesn't have any real consequences.