Man Featured On Bravo Dating Show Charged With Rape, Other Felonies; Might Be “A Thousand” Victims, DA Says
An orthopedic surgeon who was featured in an episode the 2014 Bravo reality series Online Dating Rituals of the American Male and his girlfriend are facing multiple felonies including one count each of rape in Newport Beach, CA. Prosecutors say that, based on photos and videos found on the defendants’ phones, there likely are more than 1,000 other victims.
Grant Robicheaux, 38, and Cerissa Riley, 31, face multiple decades in prison on charges that they drugged and sexually assaulted at least two women they met in local bars. Both suspects were arrested Wednesday at Robicheaux’s apartment in Newport Beach and have been released on $100,000 bail. Arraignment is set for October 25 at Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. So far, Robicheaux faces 40 years in state prison if convicted on all charges, and Riley faces more than 30 years.
Robicheaux was one of two men featured in an episode of Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, which was canceled about its brief 2014 run. Both alleged assaults for which the defendants are charged happened in 2016. Bravo had no official statement when reached by Deadline.
At a news conference today, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas detailed a brace of charges against the pair, which include the sentencing enhancement of being armed with guns during their alleged crimes. He added that there is video of the sex acts on one of the women who came to the police.
Asked during the news conference how many potentially incriminating videos prosecutors have from the suspects’ phones, Rackauckas replied, “Many.” When pressed for details, he admitted there are “hundreds” of them. “More than a thousand?” he was asked. “I think so,” was the DA’s reply.
Attorneys for Robicheaux and Riley issued a statement today, saying in part, “All allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley.” Read the statement in full below. You can read the charges and other details of the case here and watch video of Rackauckas’ news conference below, including a clip of Robicheaux’s appearance on Online Dating Rituals of the American Male.
Authorities obtained a search warrant for Robicheaux’s apartment and conducted a search in January. Rackauckas said they found “large quantities of illegal drugs; two illegal, unregistered assault rifles; four other firearms; and several large-capacity magazines.”
The couple is accused of working as a team to lure women they met at nightspots, drugging and/or supplying them with large amounts of alcohol then taking them to Robicheaux’s home, where the victims were assaulted. Prosecutors also are charging the pair with multiple additional felonies including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia and four counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale. Robicheaux also faces two counts of possessing an assault weapon.
“There are several videos [seized by authorities] where the women in the videos appear to be highly intoxicated beyond the ability to consent or resist, and they are barely responsive to the defendants’ sexual advances,” Rackauckas said.
Prosecutors believe that Robicheaux and Riley also might have assaulted other women at such out-of-town events as Burning Man in Nevada and the Splash House Festival in Palm Springs and are calling on any other alleged victims to come forward.
“We believe the defendants used their good looks and charm to lower the inhibitions of their potential prey,” Rackauckas said today. “We’ve all heard of a wolf dressed up in sheep’s clothing — well, a wolf can also wears scrubs or doctor’s clothing, or a wolf can be a beautiful woman.”
Here is the full statement from the lawyers representing Robicheaux and Riley, followed by video of Rackauckas’ news conference that runs nearly a half-hour. A clip of Robicheaux’s appearance on Online Dating Rituals of the American Male begins at the 4:50 mark:
“All allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley. 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. 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.
It must be noted that none of the allegations in this matter relate to or concern Dr. Robicheaux’s medical practice or patients in any way.
They both thank their families and friends for their continued support.”
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