James Campbell, 66, plead guilty to grand theft in 1989. Now, he is facing more felony charges for what he allegedly did to two women.
Campbell sighed heavily as he made his first court appearance on Friday.
Campbell is accused of trying to drug his live-in housekeeper by putting sleeping pills in her ice cream at his home in Santa Ana. Campbell then allegedly tried to sexually assault the 48-year-old woman after she began feeling dizzy.
"She became very sleepy. She suspected he put some type of drugs or sleeping pills inside the ice cream because, in the past, he did make some sexual advances toward her," said Jim Amormino, Orange County Sheriff's Department. "She called a relative, went to hospital, she was tested and they did detect some sleeping pills I her system."
During the investigation, authorities allege they discovered sleeping pills and several guns in Campbell's home.
Investigators say the July case then prompted them to reopen a previous complaint made in 2001 by another woman in her forties, with whom Campbell lived.
"From the first time they met, for a couple years, she suspected that the defendant was using drugs to put her to sleep and then have sex with her. After their association ended, she lived in the city of Laguna Niguel ... He came over, he gave her a cup of yogurt, she fell asleep ... She woke up with the suspect sexually assaulting her," said Amormino.
Campbell was not charged in 2001 because of insufficient evidence.
The District Attorney's office is now filing charges because there are two alleged victims who do not know each other; both women saying exactly the same thing.
Investigators concerned there may be other victims because of evidence discovered after executing a search warrant.
"They found some pictures at the residence. They also found some additional sleeping pills at his home," said Amormino, who also said Campbell had photos of unknown women.
Authorities say if you believe you were a victim of Campbell's, you should call the Orange County District Attorney's Office at (714) 347-9794.
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