Young Housesitter Is Sexually Assaulted At Gated Community
posted August 8, 2008
) Tracy A. Roberson |
Major crimes investigators arrested Tracy A. Roberson, 36, of 1755 Varner Road in Hixson, late Thursday night and charged him with aggravated rape, aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, theft over $10,000, and theft over $1,000.
Roberson was booked into the Hamilton County Jail and is being held on bonds totaling more than $500,000.
Police had responded to the home of Alan and Alison Lebovitz at 1104 Centennial Dr. on a report of a burglary in progress. They found a 19-year-old housesitter with her hands and feet bound by duct tape.
The young woman said she was awakened around 4 a.m. to find a white male standing in her room. She said the man began to hit her and push her as he taped her hands behind her and then taped her ankles together.
She said he then asked where the safe was located. The man then searched through the house, and the woman said she heard a lot of noise coming from the upstairs bedroom. Police said at least $10,000 in jewelry was taken from the safe.
The man then returned to the young woman's room and sexually assaulted her, while telling her he had guns.
He then went into her backpack and took $60 and her driver's license. He then took her 2000 Ford Escort. The vehicle was later recovered.
Police said the man had forced his way into the residence through a back door using a crowbar.
Officers said a black BMW had been in the neighborhood around the time of the incident. Police were able to get a tag for it and the vehicle was listed in the name of Tracy Roberson.
Police learned that a section of the house had been under renovation by a contractor named Freddie Wayne Ledford. Ledford said Roberson is his cousin and he had told him that the owners were out of town and that a young, pretty girl was housesitting for them.
A search of Roberson's BMW turned up a crowbar, duct tape, a brim hat, a green mask and a wall safe.
The woman said her assailant was a tall, white male about 6'2" wearing a round-shaped hat with a bandana.
Roberson, who is also facing a stalking case in Red Bank, declined to give a statement.
Heritage Landing is a gated, upscale community located along the Tennessee River just below the GPS campus and near the Frazier Avenue shopping district.
Roberson is a former county jailer and he later worked on the UTC campus police staff.
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