SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced today that all criminal charges will be dropped against a 39-year-old Newport Beach orthopedic surgeon and reality television star Grant Robicheaux and his 33-year-old girlfriend Cerissa Riley who were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting seven women.
On September 11, 2018, former District Attorney Tony Rackauckas filed initial charges in People v. Robicheaux and Riley, eight months after a search warrant was executed on Robicheaux’s Newport Beach home. At the time the charges included assaults on two women.
Robicheaux was charged with nine felonies, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by use of anesthesia or a controlled substance, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, four counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale, and two counts of possession of an assault weapon. He was also charged with sentencing enhancements of personal use of a firearm during a health and safety code violation.
Riley was charged with seven felonies, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by use of anesthesia or a controlled substance, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, and four counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale. She was also charged with knowingly vicariously armed with a firearm.
Robicheaux faced a maximum of 40 years in state prison if convicted of all charges. Riley faced a maximum of 30 years and eight months in state prison.
Over the next several weeks, Rackauckas held two press conferences in which he told members of the media investigators had recovered videos depicting up to 1,000 incapacitated women being sexually assaulted by Robicheaux and Riley. He urged additional victims to come forward and explained that women who had contact with the couple may not realize they were in fact victims.
The case received international media attention based on the revelation that up to a thousand women had been victimized.
On October 17, 2018, Rackauckas filed additional charges involving five additional women who came forward as a result of the intense media coverage on the case.
Robicheaux was charged with an additional eight felonies, including three counts of kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual offense, three additional counts of rape by the use of drugs, one additional count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and one count of forcible rape.
Riley was charged with an additional six felonies, including three counts of kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual offense, two additional counts of rape by the use of drugs, one additional count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense.
Robicheaux and Riley both faced a maximum of life in state prison if convicted on all charges.
After Rackauackas admitted in a sworn deposition on June 19, 2019 that he had used the case to garner media attention to help his re-election campaign, Spitzer ordered a complete reevaluation of the case.
Two veteran sexual assault prosecutors were assigned to the top to bottom review of the case. Over three months, the two prosecutors reviewed every piece of evidence in the case.
The De Novo review included:
- Thousands of photographs, videos, and chats from computers.
- Hundreds of hours of audio recordings.
- Thousands of pages of documents
- Tens of thousands of text messages between the defendants over four years.
- Thousands of text messages between defendants and others, including alleged victims.
- Thousands of conversations on Bumble, Tinder, Facebook, and other social media services.
- Hundreds of emails including from alleged victims, defendants, police, and potential leads.
- Thousands of pages of transcripts of alleged victim interviews, witness interviews, and depositions.
Today, Spitzer announced that this exhaustive review revealed there was not a single video or photograph depicting an incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted by Robicheaux or Riley. In fact, the review revealed that there was not a single independent witness who came forward to say they saw the defendants sexually assault an unconscious woman.
A team of prosecutors with a combined 175 years of experience determined there is no provable evidence that Robicheaux and Riley committed any sexual offense.
“My sworn duty as the elected district attorney is not to secure convictions,” said Spitzer. “My sworn duty is to pursue justice and ensure that the rights of victims and defendants are protected.
The prior District Attorney and his chief of staff manufactured this case and repeatedly misstated the evidence to lead the public and vulnerable women to believe that these two individuals plied up to 1,000 women with drugs and alcohol in order to sexually assault them – and videotape the assaults.
As a result of the complete case review I ordered beginning in July, we now know that there was not a single video or photograph depicting an unconscious or incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted.
What the prior District Attorney and his chief of staff did to these defendants and to the women involved in this case is a travesty.
While I cannot undo the injustice that has already been done in this case, I can – and I will – continue to fulfill my legal and ethical obligations as the elected District Attorney of Orange County and dismiss all criminal charges against Dr. Grant William Robicheaux and Cerissa Laura Riley.”
“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” ― adolf hitler
Rackauckas you sicken me.
These are allot of charges to drop, I have been very suspicious that those working for the OCDA’s office would over look this case and drop the charges never mind what the victims
of the suspects claimed that they were drugged for sex. These Ppl had to receive preferential treatment based on their caucasion status that is well established in Orange County. Lord Have Mercy on all of us.
Is this a joke ? No, it’s an exemplar of how under the Spitster: your Benjamin$ will buy you “ju$tice”
I was falsely accused by OCDA & CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY SPITZER SPITS ON PEOPLE’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
I was brought up on charges so baseless the jury deliberated just over 30 minitrs before acquitting me following a TWO-WEEK TRIAL
Spitzer’s minions gleefully Suborned perjury, will fully concealed the serious criminal record of a manufactured “witness” and withheld exculpatory evidence until the eleventh hour
Even therewithal,the Jury saw through the charade & gave OCDA the finger
My name is Mrs Cameron and my case no is 19-CF-0028
Spitzer seems to have a special fondness for drugdealers rapists etc. His bizarre bromance with Henry Nicholas is proof that Spitzer will do his utmost to turn the Halls of Justice into a Kangaroo Court.
Unless you have money to “tip” him, then he will “spit and polish” ( and lick ) your boots
Spitzer is no better than the Raw Carcass whom he spends so much time condemning
Todd Allan Spitzer can fairly be described as Rackauckas 2.0
His comments about homeless person’s being drug addicts, felons and sex offenders are shameful. They are also irreconcilable with his personal life, given his ties to convicted drug-dealer Henry Nicholas
I praise GOD for causing Truth to Triumph in my case
As for the Spitster….
“May his days be few…and May another take his place” (Psalms 109: 8-15)