'Rick and Morty' co-creator Justin Roiland appeared in court over sealed felony domestic violence charges

• "Rick and Morty" co-creator and star Justin Roiland has been charged with felony domestic violence.
• A criminal complaint was filed in May 2020, and Roiland pleaded not guilty in October 2020, according to court records.

"Rick and Morty" co-creator and star Justin Roiland has been charged with felony domestic violence in Orange County, California, according to a criminal complaint obtained by NBC News and online court records.

Roiland, 42, appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing on Thursday, NBC News first reported.

The complaint, also reviewed by Insider, was filed in May 2020 by the Orange County District Attorney, and much of the case remains sealed.

According to Orange County, California, court records available online and viewed by Insider, the case ties back to an incident that prosecutors say occurred in January 2020.

Court records show Roiland has been charged with one felony count of domestic battery on spouse/cohabitant with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud, or deceit.

Roiland was arrested and released on $50,000 bail on August 13, 2020, and later pleaded not guilty to both counts in October 2020, according to the court records.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"Not only is Justin innocent but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the District Attorney's office has completed its methodical review of the evidence," T. Edward Welbourn, an attorney for Roiland, told Insider in a statement. "We look forward to clearing Justin's name and helping him move forward as swiftly as possible."

NBC and Variety reported that the complaint was made by a woman whom Roiland was dating who has not been publicly named.

Roiland's next scheduled pre-trial hearing is April 27, 2023, court records show.

The "Rick and Morty" co-creator voices many characters on the hit Adult Swim show, including the two titular protagonists. Roiland has also voiced characters on shows like Hulu's "Solar Opposites" as well as "Gravity Falls," and founded a video game studio Squanch Games.