43
Rakes accused of taking his wife hostage
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
YOUNGSTOWN
Clarence Rakes, who has an extensive criminal history, remains in Mahoning County jail, accused of holding his wife hostage over the weekend.
His record shows that he was convicted of the same crime against the same woman more than 10 years ago.
Rakes, 54, of Clearmont Drive, appeared Monday before Judge Robert Milich of Youngstown Municipal Court for arraignment on felony charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated burglary. He also is charged with a misdemeanor violation of a protection order.
According to police, Rakes held a knife to the throat of his wife early Saturday and threatened to kill her. Police came into the Clearmont Drive home and used a Taser to subdue him.
City Prosecutor Jay Macejko called Rakes “a danger to the public.” Macejko said Rakes has an extensive criminal record that spans three decades, including a previous hostage situation involving Rakes and the same woman.
“We have been down this road before with Mr. Rakes and the same victim. The state is requesting no bond on the charges of kidnapping, aggravated burglary and felonious assault,” he told the court. “He does pose a risk of physical harm to the community and the victim.”
Macejko said Rakes broke into the same woman’s home in 1999 and held her hostage at gunpoint along with some juveniles. He said Rakes fired one shot from the gun before police were able to persuade him to let the hostages leave the house and take him into custody.
Rakes served more than four years in prison after the first hostage situation.
Macejko said Rakes also has a list of misdemeanor criminal charges from the 1970s and the 1990s but not the 1980s.
Judge Milich ordered Rakes to stay in jail without bail on the kidnapping, assault and burglary charges. He has a bond of $35,000 on the remaining charges.
In the most recent case, police say Rakes broke into the woman’s home at 4:30 a.m. Saturday and held a knife to her throat threatening to kill her. The woman’s son and his girlfriend ran out of the house and called police.
Officers found Rakes in the basement of the home holding a knife to the woman’s throat. The woman is being treated for cuts to her neck.
Rakes, if convicted on all charges, could spend the next 29 years in prison.