(CNN)A well-known surgeon from Newport Beach and his girlfriend are accused of drugging and sexually assaulting two women, and Southern California authorities said they believe there could be many more victims.
Grant
William Robicheaux, 38, and Cerissa Laura Riley, 31, are charged
with rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia or
controlled substance, assault with intent to commit sexual
offense, and possession of a controlled substance for sale.
Robicheaux is also accused of firearms violations.
On
Robicheaux's phone, investigators found hundreds of clips of
women in various states of consciousness, Orange County District
Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters Tuesday. He said that
many of the women in the videos appeared unable to consent to
sexual contact. Many of the videos also included Riley, he said.
"Based
on this evidence we believe that there might be many
unidentified victims out there," he said.
Rackauckas
estimated there were more than 1,000 videos. He did not say
whether the same women were seen in multiple clips.
Attorneys
Scott Borthwick and Philip Cohen issued a statement on behalf
of Riley and Robicheaux denying the allegations of
nonconsensual sex.
"They
have been aware of these accusations for a number of months,
and each of them will formally deny the truth of these
allegations at their first opportunity in court," the
attorneys said.
"Dr.
Robicheaux and Ms. Riley believe that such allegations do a
disservice to, and dangerously undermine, the true victims of
sexual assault, and they are eager to have the proper
spotlight shed on this case in a public trial."
Riley
and Robicheaux each paid $100,000 bail last week when they
were arrested. They will be arraigned October 25.
The
district attorney says Riley and Robicheaux met a 32-year-old
woman at a restaurant in Newport Beach in April 2016, and on
another occasion invited her to a party, took her back to his
apartment once she was intoxicated, gave her drugs and raped
her. The incident was recorded on video, Rackauckas said. The
victim contacted Newport Beach police the next day and tested
positive for multiple controlled substances.
Six
months later, prosecutors say, another woman alleges the
couple sexually assaulted her at the apartment after she got
drunk at a bar with them. The DA's office says she awoke and
screamed for help until a neighbor called police to the scene.
Authorities don't know if that incident was also recorded,
Rackauckas said.
Authorities
believe Riley approached the women first, then invited
Robicheaux over, Rackauckas told reporters.
The
district attorney's office asked that any women who think they
may have been sexually assaulted by the couple contact the
office's lead investigator, Eric Wiseman. Authorities said the
couple traveled to festivals such as Burning Man in Black Rock
Desert in Nevada, Dirtybird Campout festival in central
California and the Splash House festival in Palm Springs,
California.
"We
believe the defendants used their good looks and charm to
lower the inhibitions of their potential prey," Rackauckas
said.
Robicheaux
went to Louisiana State University for his undergraduate
degree and his medical training, graduating in 2007. He was
licensed in California on May 30, 2009.
He
appeared on an episode of Bravo's "Online Dating Rituals of
the American Male" in 2014. Rackauckas said no women from the
Bravo show have been connected with the cellphone videos.
While
the district attorney said investigators will want to talk to
Robicheaux's patients, he said there is no evidence any
incidents happened in a medical setting.
"None
of the allegations in this matter relate to or concern Dr.
Robicheaux's medical practice or patients in any way," the
defense attorneys said.