A former Long Beach police detective pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he assaulted his estranged wife’s boyfriend and dragged her outside last year.
Toby Benskin, 34, is charged with three counts of assault with a firearm, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, making criminal threats, first-degree burglary and false imprisonment by violence.
Prosecutors allege that Benskin — while still employed by the Long Beach Police Department — broke into the residence of his estranged wife’s boyfriend, assaulted and threatened to kill him and then threatened the man’s roommate on Oct. 27, 2015. Benskin then allegedly forcibly dragged his estranged wife from the residence.
Benskin was arrested this Oct. 31 by Orange County sheriff’s deputies in the city of Orange and subsequently released on bond.
In a statement released the day Benskin was arrested, the Long Beach Police Department said it had launched an internal administrative investigation after learning of the alleged attack in Long Beach.
Benskin, a 14-year employee who had been assigned to the police department’s Investigations Bureau, was terminated June 20 following the investigation, police said.
“When we take our oath of office, we assume a tremendous responsibility which includes upholding the values and maintaining the integrity of our police department and profession,” Long Beach police Chief Robert Luna said. “When an officer betrays the public trust we have worked so hard to cultivate, they must be held accountable.”
If convicted as charged, Benskin faces up to 25 years and eight months in prison, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.