LONG BEACH -- A pre-trial hearing scheduled last week for the 62-year-old former head of the state's largest mental health facility accused of molesting his adopted son for more than a decade was held, but no trial date has been selected.
The 35 felony count charge against Claude Edward Foulk Jr. includes 22 counts of forcible oral copulation, 11 counts of sodomy by use of force and two counts of forcible lewd act on a child, all pertaining to Jonathan F., one of Foulk's two adopted sons.
Foulk - the former head of Napa State Hospital - was ordered earlier this year to stand trial following testimony from his son, now 26, who testified that he was repeatedly sexually abused by Foulk after he was adopted at the age of 9.
The court also heard from one of Foulk's many foster children and a former friend of a foster child, both of whom testified that Foulk molested them and one of whom said he could name dozens of other victims.
Police and prosecutors have interviewed more than dozen potential victims, all of them either foster children or friends of children put in Foulk's charge while he lived in Long Beach, but none of their cases meet the statute of limitations, authorities said.
Foulk was married briefly in the 1970s and had no biological children, according to his family and county records.
He was arrested in February in Napa and immediately fired from his post at the state mental hospital.
Deputy District Attorney Danette Gomez said Foulk used manipulation and threats along with gifts to keep Jonathan F. quiet and complacent throughout the 10 years of alleged abuse.
Foulk's privately retained defense attorney, Richard Poland, said his client denies all the the accusations.
Foulk appeared at the Long Beach Superior Court Tuesday for his first pre-trial hearing since his preliminary hearing. He was ordered to return to court on July 9 for another pre-trial hearing and he remains in jail in lieu of $3.5 million bail.
The 35 felony count charge against Claude Edward Foulk Jr. includes 22 counts of forcible oral copulation, 11 counts of sodomy by use of force and two counts of forcible lewd act on a child, all pertaining to Jonathan F., one of Foulk's two adopted sons.
Foulk - the former head of Napa State Hospital - was ordered earlier this year to stand trial following testimony from his son, now 26, who testified that he was repeatedly sexually abused by Foulk after he was adopted at the age of 9.
The court also heard from one of Foulk's many foster children and a former friend of a foster child, both of whom testified that Foulk molested them and one of whom said he could name dozens of other victims.
Police and prosecutors have interviewed more than dozen potential victims, all of them either foster children or friends of children put in Foulk's charge while he lived in Long Beach, but none of their cases meet the statute of limitations, authorities said.
Foulk was married briefly in the 1970s and had no biological children, according to his family and county records.
He was arrested in February in Napa and immediately fired from his post at the state mental hospital.
Deputy District Attorney Danette Gomez said Foulk used manipulation and threats along with gifts to keep Jonathan F. quiet and complacent throughout the 10 years of alleged abuse.
Foulk's privately retained defense attorney, Richard Poland, said his client denies all the the accusations.
Foulk appeared at the Long Beach Superior Court Tuesday for his first pre-trial hearing since his preliminary hearing. He was ordered to return to court on July 9 for another pre-trial hearing and he remains in jail in lieu of $3.5 million bail.
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