NORTHAMPTON — A lawyer for a Southampton man facing numerous charges including rape, strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping in cases involving three women is asking a judge to lift or modify the curfew restrictions on her client.

Mathieu J. Tebo, a former mortgage loan officer, pleaded not guilty in January to 17 felony charges and five misdemeanors, stemming from alleged incidents in 2017 and 2022 in his hometown. During a hearing Thursday before Judge John Agostini in Hampshire Superior Court, defense attorney Judith Knight of Great Barrington said the 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew was preventing Tebo from finding employment that might keep him out beyond those hours.

Tebo has been free on $25,000 cash bail since a dangerousness hearing in January. Knight said he has complied with all other conditions of release such as surrendering his passport, wearing a GPS monitoring bracelet and staying away from the complaining witnesses. She said Tebo had been in long-term relationships with all three of the women.

Assistant District Attorney Sandra Staub argued against any change in Tebo’s curfew. She said Judge Richard Carey in his Jan. 20 order found the conditions were warranted by the seriousness of the allegations, and the defendant is already charged with violating a restraining order.

The curfew gives the witnesses, whose statements have been impounded, reassurance that they will not encounter the defendant during those hours, Staub said. She also noted that Tebo had submitted no evidence that he had even applied for jobs that would require him to violate his curfew.

Agostini said he would need some time to acquaint himself with the facts of the case and would issue a ruling on the defense request when he had done so.

Tebo also faces three counts of rape, two counts of assault and battery on a family/household member, and single counts of strangulation or suffocation, stalking and extortion by threat of injury in Franklin County.

According to the grand jury indictments in the Hampshire County case, charges of intimidation of a witness and violation of an abuse prevention order date to Oct. 18, 2022. Two counts of aggravated rape, kidnapping and indecent assault and battery are related to incidents on Aug. 25, and two threats to commit a crime (murder) are dated to Aug. 21. A count of rape and a strangulation or suffocation charge stem from between Aug. 1 and Aug. 21.

Other offenses, including two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (lighter, belt), and assault and battery on a family member, allegedly occurred on various dates in August.

Charges of strangulation or suffocation, one count of rape and assault and battery on a family member stem from June 23. One count of stalking and a charge of attempted extortion are linked to incidents between June 18 and Aug. 26.

The remaining charges stem from 2017. Two counts of rape are alleged to have occurred between Sept. 15 and Nov. 1, and Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. A stalking charge dates from Sept. 1 to Dec. 3, and one count of indecent assault and battery dates from between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.

A provisional trial date of February 2024 has been scheduled.

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