Slippery suspect warrants $1M

A $1-million warrant has been issued for a Tustin man who punched a Costa Mesa police officer in 2006 and tricked authorities earlier this week to escape during his trial.

Police are looking for Mark Thomas Georgantas, 46, who is proving to be a slippery one for Orange County Sheriff’s deputies. Georgantas was on trial at Santa Ana’s Central Justice Center Wednesday for credit card fraud and grand theft when he told the court he had to use the restroom.

He was free on $50,000 bail, court records show.

When authorities went to look for Georgantas, he was long gone.

This isn’t the first time Georgantas has fled from authorities.

In October 2003, he and another man escaped James Musick Jail in Irvine by using their bedding to hop barbed-wire fences in the middle of the night.

Reports at the time said he then stole a car and drove to Los Angeles, where he was caught later that day.

Wednesday, Georgantas was convicted of credit card fraud and grand theft. His sentencing was scheduled for March 27.

The charges stemmed from an arrest in Costa Mesa in 2006 when police approached him on a probation violation and found a briefcase full of stolen credit card information he was using to buy materials for his fireplace business.

When the Costa Mesa officer attempted to arrest him, Georgantas resisted and punched the officer in the face.

Police also found a gun on him.

Georgantas is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call police.

Reporter JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.