Alleged Rape Victim Jailed: Calif. Teen Held In Custody To Ensure Testimony In Frank Rackley Trial

Alleged Rape Victim Held In Custody To Ensure Testimony

A 17-year-old alleged rape victim was taken into custody last week to ensure that she testifies against her suspected sexual abuser.

The unnamed teen is a key witness in the trial of Frank William Rackley, a 220-pound tattoo-covered accused rapist with a 20-year criminal history, CBS Sacramento reports.

Despite the girl's failure to appear at a February hearing for the case, her attorney, Lisa Franco, insists that prosecutors could seek alternatives to jailing the teen, such as ankle bracelets.

"She's the victim, that's first and foremost," said Franco, according to News10. "She's suffered a horrible, horrible experience and now she's being treated like the criminal and forced to live with this everyday."

"She's made it clear to the judge she's willing to do anything else," said Franco.

Rackley is charged for the incident, which occurred last July. He is also a suspect in a second rape.

"The last thing we ever want to do is put a victim or a witness in custody, but when you have serious crimes of violence and a multiple offenses, you have to balance the protection of the community here," Sacramento County Assistant District Attorney Albert Locher told ABC News.

A Friday morning hearing is scheduled to determine if the witness should be released.

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