The Region - News from June 20, 1986

A San Diego man was ordered to stand trial on 39 counts of rape and kidnaping involving three women he allegedly held as sex slaves. Four of Ronald Martin Gabriel’s seven alleged victims didn’t show up to testify against him, however, so San Diego Municipal Judge Herbert Exarhos dismissed 22 other sex-related counts. Gabriel, 34, remains in San Diego County Jail in lieu of $1-million bail. A cocktail waitress testified that Gabriel chained and beat her after he kidnaped her at gunpoint in 1984 at a bar where she worked. She also said he cracked a whip at her while she was chained and bitten by strangers, and that she was shot twice near the end of her ordeal. Prosecutors said they would try to refile the dismissed charges later after the other women, who they said are terrified of Gabriel, are located.