19 New Charges Filed in Rape Case

Rape suspect Andrew Stuart Luster was held on $10-million bail Wednesday after prosecutors filed 19 new charges and told a judge they have evidence the wealthy scion of cosmetics magnate Max Factor has left victims around the globe.

Luster, a 36-year-old Mussel Shoals resident, now faces 40 criminal charges in connection with three alleged rapes in which authorities say the victims were sedated with a date-rape drug and videotaped.

Authorities say other victims have been identified in crimes “spanning counties, states and countries,” and prosecutors say they expect more charges will be filed against Luster as the investigation continues.

In the meantime, they pushed for an unprecedented bail amount to prevent Luster from being released back into the community.

“We believe the defendant presents a very serious and credible threat,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Becky Day, describing Luster as a sexual predator who has threatened to kill victims.

Day said deputies found 13 guns, including an illegal AK-47 assault rifle, during a search of Luster’s beach house last week.

She said Luster poses a flight risk because of his family assets and asked the judge to hold him on no bail or at least $10 million. To bolster the request, Day filed a copy of a financial statement indicating Luster has about $8 million invested in a stock portfolio.

But defense attorney Joel Isaacson said his client has no access to that money and earns less than $70,000 a year handling his own investments.

Isaacson said Luster, a father of two, has no criminal record and has lived in the county for 15 years. He called the demand for no bail unlawful and the request for $10 million unrealistic.

“To us, myself personally and all of us working people, including my client, that is a lot of money,” Isaacson said.

Superior Court Judge Art Gutierrez said only accused murderers in capital cases can be held without bail. But he granted the $10-million bail request, which lawyers said is unprecedented in Ventura County. Luster is already jailed pending $1-million bail on the 21 other charges.

“There is no question Mr. Luster is a clear and present danger to women,” Gutierrez said in his ruling. “I am satisfied the defendant is a threat.”

Luster, standing behind a caged partition in a blue jail uniform, did not enter a plea to the new rape charges. An arraignment was postponed to Tuesday, at which time he is expected to enter a plea to all 40 charges.

Outside the courtroom, Day told reporters the new charges stem from an incident in either 1996 or 1997 in which Luster allegedly drugged and repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman--previously identified by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department officials as a 27-year-old former girlfriend.

Day said authorities now suspect Luster has been allegedly assaulting women since as early as 1991.

Although Luster has not entered a formal plea, Isaacson said Wednesday his client “absolutely denies the charges” and maintains any sex with women he met over the years was consensual.

“He’s never been in trouble before,” Isaacson said outside the courtroom. “Remember, these are just accusations at this point.”

Luster was arrested July 20 on suspicion of raping a 21-year-old Santa Barbara woman at his Ocean Avenue home after they met at a State Street bar.

The woman told authorities Luster sedated her with a date-rape drug known as GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her during the night, according to law enforcement officials.

Although the woman could not recall everything, authorities said she provided sufficient information to justify an arrest.

During a search of Luster’s one-story beach house, investigators said they found vials of an unknown liquid and videotapes depicting sedated or unconscious women engaged in various sex acts. They suspect the women were victims of sexual assaults.

On Monday prosecutors filed 21 charges against Luster, including kidnapping with intent to commit rape, drug possession and rape of an intoxicated person.

The charges also include three counts of rape of an unconscious person, allegedly an unidentified woman allegedly raped in December 1997 and depicted on one of the videotapes.

The third victim was identified by authorities this week after she saw news reports on Luster’s arrest. Law enforcement officials said the woman told them Luster had drugged and sexually assaulted her during a past relationship.

On Monday authorities allowed her to view portions of the seized videotapes, which they said show her engaged in sex acts with Luster. She told investigators she never gave Luster permission to record their sexual activity, sheriff’s officials said.

Authorities said they have received more than a dozen calls from women in connection with Luster’s arrest, including a possible victim in Las Vegas, and are expanding the investigation to other counties and states.

“We’ve received numerous calls from potential victims and that investigation is ongoing,” Day said during Wednesday’s court hearing. “It appears we have only scratched the surface.”