Anthony Salerno, Eric Rossini's attorney, says his client's case is a custody battle gone very wrong.

"Eric's ex-wife wanted to take the kids away from him in Massachusetts and then this case was filed against him in Texas, where she was at the time," said Salerno who was in Westborough District Court Thursday morning with Rossini, the owner of MassDojo.

Rossini, a Grafton resident, was arrested in May on a fugitive from justice warrant out of Arlington, TX.

Rossini faces two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, according to Tiara Ellis Richard, media relations coordinator for the Arlington, TX, Police Department.

After his arraignment in May, Rossini posted bail and was placed under house arrest.

Salerno said Rossini wants to go to Texas as soon as possible to clear up the charges against him, but going to Texas would violate his conditions of release.

"Judge (Vito) Virzi ordered him under house arrest, so the judge here today wants to wait until Judge Virzi can rule about going to Texas," Salerno said.

The district attorney's office said Rossini can waive rendition and be immediately put into custody to face the charges in Texas.

"I've seen cases like this, and the accused ends up waiting in jail for a long time while the other jurisdiction comes to get them," Salerno said. "Eric would like to go as soon as possible because we are 200 percent sure that the Texas charges will be dropped."

Rossini is the owner of the karate dojo in Shrewsbury. He has been ordered to stay away from anyone under 18, and the dojo has been run by family and parents of the children who attend, Rossini's mother has said.

Rossini will be back in court on July 13, when Virzi can rule on the motion to give him two to three days to travel to Texas to face the charges.

"This is a catch-22," Salerno said. "He wants to clear this up, but he can't leave because he's under house arrest."

Rossini has also had previous assault charges filed against him and, according to his attorney, the victim in this case is one of his two children.