A California surgeon and his girlfriend are facing mounting accusations of sexual assault from more than a dozen alleged victims, CNN reports.
Prosecutors last week charged Grant Robicheaux, 38, and his girlfriend, Cerissa Laura Riley, 31, with drugging and raping two females.
But far more charges could be coming: Police have identified upwards of 12 “credible potential victims” and have gotten more than 50 calls about the pair, according to Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.
“We believe the defendants used their good looks and charms to lower the inhibitions of their potential prey,” Rackauckas said. “We’ve all heard of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Well, a wolf can wear scrubs or doctor’s clothing. Or a wolf can be a beautiful woman.”
Since the charges were filed, additional victims have come forward from across the country, including from Nevada, Southern California and New York. The victims are mostly women but include one man, FOX News reports.
One of the alleged victims called the duo the “Bonnie and Clyde” of rapists.
Investigators are examining the additional allegations and are contemplating more charges, according to Rackauckas, who asked the public to contact authorities with information about the pair.
“Even if you made a conscious decision to party with this couple, or with anybody else for that matter, no one gets a pass to have their way with you when you’re unconscious or past the point of consent,” Rackauckas said.
Earlier this week, Rackauckas said there could be “thousands of victims” based on photo and video evidence seized by authorities.
“There are thousands and thousands of videos and images … There are several videos where women in the videos appear to be highly intoxicated, beyond the ability to consent or resist. They are barely responsive to the defendants’ sexual advances,” he said. “Based on this evidence, we believe there might be many unidentified victims out there.”
Lawyers for Robicheaux and Riley have denied the sexual assault allegations and cast doubt about the video and photographic evidence authorities cite. Defense attorney Philip Cohen said police have had those materials since January.
“The investigation began many, many months before that. … Despite that time, there is no allegation, there has been no information released, regarding thousands of victims or hundreds of rapes,” Cohen said. “The fact is, after nine months … Grant and Cerissa have been charged with two counts of sexual assault.”
A victim whose case is the basis for the one of the charges told police she felt lethargic after Robicheaux gave her two pills. Robicheaux is accused of then having unprotected sex with the victim while Riley engaged in oral sex with her and recorded the encounter.
“The victim felt paralyzed by the apparent drugs and did not feel as though she could physically resist Robicheaux and Riley while they were having sex with her,” court documents state.
Tests revealed that the victim had ecstasy, cocaine and MDA in her system.
The other victim alleges she was drinking with the couple but then lost consciousness. She was later brought to Robicheaux’s home, where the couple allegedly began “sexually assaulting her with the intent to commit rape.”
Screams from the woman prompted a neighbor to call police.
Robicheaux, of Newport Beach, was once featured in a Bravo reality dating show. He and Riley are facing charges of rape by use of drugs, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense and oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance.
Robicheaux faces up to 40 years behind bars and Riley faces 30 years, but those prison terms could get longer if more charges are filed.
They are each free on $100,000 bail.
The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for late October.
[Feature Photo: Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Laura Riley/Orange County District Attorney’s Office]