Huntington Beach cop accused of assaulting wife, girlfriend

by Sean Mahoney , September 3, 2009

HUNTINGTON BEACH – A Huntington Beach police officer was arrested Wednesday and charged with physically abusing his wife and a girlfriend.

Additional charges include attempting to dissuade his wife from reporting the assaults in an effort to protect his job, according to a news release from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

James Roberts III, 33, faces several felony charges that include false imprisonment by violence or deceit, criminal threats, domestic battery with corporal injury, aggravated assault, dissuading a witness by force or threat and vandalism that caused $400 in damage or more.

Married in 2003, Roberts and his wife have a son. Prosecutors believe Roberts began a relationship with another woman in 2007.

Between June 2007 and May 2008, prosecutors allege Roberts physically and verbally abused his wife while also instigating other violent incidents against her.

The news release reports that, in July 2007, Roberts “trashed” his wife’s apartment while she was away, demolishing pieces of furniture in the process.

This event was followed by three episodes of Roberts physically restraining his wife and holding her against her will, her young son being present during one of these alleged confrontations.

Additional attacks on his wife, related by the report, include Roberts shoving her to the bathroom floor where she hit her head on the bathtub and toilet, and Roberts “intentionally pushing a door” into her as she stood behind it. Roberts is also accused of repeatedly telling his wife that he would lose his job if she reported the assaults to police and reportedly threatening to kill her at least once.

Between March and July 2007, Roberts allegedly physically restrained the girlfriend, holding her against her will. Though the girlfriend ended the relationship in early 2008, Roberts invited her to his apartment in May 2008 and then is said to have used physical force to keep her from leaving, assaulting her and pulling her to the ground when she did leave, according to the report.

Finally, Roberts is accused of confronting a male friend of his wife’s, demanding him to stay away from his wife and implying he knew where the man lived and where he spent his free time.

Roberts is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday at the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, according to prosecutors.