Police Sergeant Denies Guilt in Assault Case
A Long Beach police sergeant has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnaping and assault with intent to commit rape stemming from a Sept. 15 incident in San Pedro.
Sgt. Robert L. Ballew, a 16-year veteran of the department, was charged Monday with three felony counts, kidnaping with intent to commit rape, assault with intent to commit rape and aggravated assault, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 7 in San Pedro Municipal Court. He is being held in County Jail in lieu of $175,000 bail.
Ballew was arrested at 1 a.m. Sept. 15 by Los Angeles police responding to reports that a woman was screaming inside a van parked in San Pedro.
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