Attorney arraigned for sexual assault

HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - Attorney Carl Gabrielse turned himself in and was arraigned Thursday on sexual assault charges leveled by a woman who met with him about her drunken driving case.

He was arraigned on charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and misconduct in a public office. Both are felonies; the CSC charge carries a maximum prison term of 15 years, and the misconduct charge five years.

He was released on a personal recognizance bond of $3500. The judge permitted Gabrielse to visit family in other Midwest states.

24 Hour News 8 tried to get Gabrielse to comment on the charges as he left his arraignment, but he declined. His attorney, Floyd Farmer, said Gabrielse plans to plead not guilty.

Gabrielse, until this alleged incident a Holland deputy city attorney, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the 58th District Courthouse who was charged with drunken driving. After the alleged assault, he immediately reduced her criminal charges, the alleged victim told 24 Hour News 8.

The woman, 21, filed a personal protection order against Carl Gabrielse after she reported him to Holland police.

Gabrielse, 30, worked for Cunningham Dalman, a law firm in Holland contracted to do official Holland city legal work. He has been doing this type of work periodically for the city since 2004 but was fired when the allegations came to light.

The woman involved was arrested for a misdemeanor traffic offense in Holland on Oct. 17. She originally was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. She went to court Nov. 3.

After her initial court appearance, the judge instructed her to meet with Gabrielse for a pre-trial conference. At that time, in a private meeting with Gabrielse her charges were lowered to driving while impaired, she told 24 Hour News 8. She alleges Gabrielse took her into the bathroom of a jury room of the courthouse.

Those rooms are not accessible to the general public and require an electronic key to enter. There are security cameras in the hallways.

In a statement released after his arraignment, the woman's attorney, Joel W. Baar, said "The criminal justice system let her down once before, but we have confidence in the Ottawa County sheriff department and the Ottawa County prosecutors office that the criminal justice system will not let her down again."