Calif. Prosecutor Arrested on Suspicion of Rape, Makes $1M Bail
A veteran California prosecutor has been arrested on suspicion of rape in an alleged incident reportedly involving another Contra Costa County deputy district attorney. He has posted $1 million bail.
Michael Gressett, 51, is on paid administrative leave after being arrested Thursday on suspicion of four felonies—rape, oral copulation, sodomy and penetration with a foreign object—reports the San Francisco Chronicle. However, a final decision about whether to proceed with the case against Gressett has not yet been made, according to a spokeswoman for the state attorney general’s office, which is handling the prosecution.
Attorney Michael Cardoza, who is defending Gressett, said the allegations are “absolutely false” and will be devastating to his career. “The legal community has been shaken to its core—most everyone is in disbelief,” Cardoza tells the Bay Area News Group. “Allegations like this are easily made, and the accusation alone destroys lives. We will be fighting this to the very end.”
A 20-year veteran prosecutor, Gressett has himself prosecuted sex crimes since 2006. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the office of district attorney.
“Martinez police said the alleged attack took place several months ago. They said they had learned of the incident Sept. 26 and served a search warrant that turned up evidence consistent with the alleged victim’s complaint,” the Chronicle recounts. “Police have not been more specific about when the incident happened or what evidence they found.”
