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Monument Realty Founder Michael Darby Charged With Assault

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Monument Realty founder Michael Darby and his wife, Ashley Darby, at the 2015 opening of their Clarendon restaurant

Monument Realty principal Michael Darby is facing criminal charges. 

The founder of the D.C.-based real estate development company was charged with second-degree assault and fourth-degree sexual contact, according to Montgomery County District Court records. 

The charges stem from a Sept. 1 incident on the set of "Real Housewives of Potomac," a Bravo reality show. Darby's wife, Ashley Darby, stars on the show and he makes frequent appearances. A cameraman for the show, Orville Palmer, claims Darby groped him during a filming earlier this month. A trial is set for Oct. 16 in Rockville. 

Darby, a 59-year-old Australia native, founded Monument Realty in 1998 after working with Carr America in the 1980s and Akridge in the 1990s.  Monument is currently working on a 69-unit condo project in Shaw and a 171-unit condo project one block from Nationals Park. Darby and his wife also own Oz, an Australian restaurant in Clarendon

Darby and a spokesperson for Monument Realty did not respond to requests for comment. Darby has been a panelist at Bisnow events.