), First published on August 26, 2021 / 11:22 AM. After Riley and Dr. Grant Robicheaux, an orthopedic surgeon who starred briefly on The Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, were charged with attacking two women, others came forward with similar allegations. At the time, then-Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said that Robicheaux and Riley would meet their victims at local bars and restaurants, drug them and then take them home and sexually assault them. Grant is not married yet but he is in a relationship with his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley. UPDATE: An Orange County judge has approved a request by prosecutors to reduce charges against a Newport Beach hand surgeon and his girlfriend, who have been accused of drugging and raping multiple women. At one time, Robicheaux was charged with harming seven victims and Riley with five. Convoluted Case Against Reality Show Doctor, Girlfriend Continues Originally Mr Robicheaux faced 16 felony charges from the victims, and Ms Riley faced five charges. In May, prosecutors made a request to dramatically scale back the criminal case, . The couple have pleaded not guilty and have denied any nonconsensual sex. [1] The case gained international attention because Rackauckas implied that there were up to one thousand victims. LAGUNA BEACH, CA - OCTOBER 17: Dr. Grant Robicheaux, and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley listen during their arraignment at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. Last month, Orange County Superior Court Judge Steven Bromberg dismissed charges related to allegations lodged by two of the seven women after they told prosecutors they had been dragged through the mud by the Orange County district attorneys office and no longer wanted to participate in the case. Then, people would stop them on the street and ask, What are you doing? and they would get to talk to them about the word of God, Woodruff told the Daily Beast. Prosecutors expect to move forward in doctor drug-rape case The top-to-bottom review of the case against Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 33, ordered by Spitzer was incomplete and contained inaccurate and misleading information, according to the memo. Another woman in July 2017 told police she had been raped. They argued that a detective misled a magistrate judge about the evidence and circumstances. [5] Spitzer believed that Rackauckas had used the case to gain positive media attention before the election for district attorney and stated he would move to have all charges filed by Rackauckas against Robicheaux and Riley dropped. A prosecutor told an Orange County Superior Court judge. The two saw each other just six months ago, when the young woman was acting in a play. The defendants actions of facilitating the victims excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs to ultimately prevent her from possessing the ability to resist sexual intercourse was the underlying motivation for their behavior, state prosecutors wrote in their motion. Usually Hooks performances were local, but in the early 2010s Riley and her ex-husband made several missionary trips abroad to Budapest, Hungary. A judge in Orange County, California, has approved a request to drop almost all counts against a surgeon and his girlfriend who have been accused of drugging and raping multiple women. [4], In July 2021, a judge in the Orange County Superior Court dismissed charges related to two of the seven women who stated they no longer wanted to participate in the case and had been "dragged through the mud" by the Orange County District Attorney's office. Another judge at the time said he would refuse to drop the charges, calling Mr Spitzer's decision "ludicrous" and questioning the district attorney's possible motives for the move. The couple got involved in the congregation of Calvary Chapel Anaheim, a nondenominational church in Orange County, and often did outreach and missionary work in the local community. If the judge decides to grant the prosecutors wishes, the state will move its focus to an incident that happened in April 2017. The facts have to be viewed in their totality. EARLIER: Prosecutors said Friday that intend to go forward with a new complaint charging a former reality star and his girlfriend. Todd Spitzer announces in February that he plans to drop all charges against Newport Beach doctor Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley. "O.C. Swingers" Is Your New Favorite Chill-Inducing Podcast They also contended that no crime was committed to justify the warrant. The new charge would involve two women instead of the previous five. She joined the newspaper in 2013 as a reporter for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication. [3] Robicheaux was charged with sixteen felonies, including sexually assaulting seven women and Riley was charged with sexually assaulting five women. Its completely unfair to the victims in this case.. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Opinion: Why my Taiwanese American identity has become more complicated, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Northern California town on edge after second fatal stabbing in a week. A representative for the attorney generals office could not immediately be reached for further comment. City News Service contributed to this report. Riverside County Firefighters Stop Forward Progress of Brush Fire in Thermal, Walk to End Genocide Held Sunday In Fairfax District, Asian Couple in Bel Air Terrorized in Home Invasion Robbery, Police Arrest 24 During DUI Checkpoint in Riverside, Coroner IDs Man Who Jumped or Fell From Freeway Overpass. When Mr Rackauckas was overseeing the case, he incorrectly predicted that there could be as many as 1,000 victims. The pair have both pleaded not guilty to the amended charges. This is not Cerissa, Sheryl Woodruff, Rileys former mother-in-law said. In their free time, the group would head out to Huntington Beach or Los Angeles, Rileys former in-laws said, and start performing on the street. Grant Robicheaux - Wikipedia I feel like I can breathe again.. Even though the prosecution and defense actually agree in this case, the judge isnt so certain. Prosecutors have reportedly interviewed at least 13 alleged victims. And they said Riley played an important role. Also, the criminality addressed in this specific statute concentrates on the womans ability or capacity to give consent.
