A former Huntington Beach police officer will face trial on charges including rape and sodomy, an Orange County judge decided at a preliminary hearing. The judge upheld 19 of the
20 felony charges filed by prosecutors.
Superior Court Judge Richard J. Beacom agreed to move forward with the charges against James Roberts III, 34, after hearing testimony from Roberts' ex-wife and investigators from the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Orange County district attorney's office during the three-day preliminary hearing at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
A preliminary hearing is where prosecutors present evidence to a judge, who rules if the case is strong enough to go to trial.
Roberts is charged with alleged acts against his wife, an alleged mistress and another man while serving as an officer with the police department.
He pleaded not guilty Feb. 26 to rape, forcible sodomy, false imprisonment by violence or deceit, criminal threats, domestic battery, aggravated assault, dissuading a witness and vandalism.
Roberts faces a maximum sentence of about 23 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Read more in the Huntington Beach Independent: "Former officer will face 19 counts."
-- Britney Barnes, Times Community News
Photo: Orange County Sheriff's Department