43
Man imprisoned again for kidnapping his wife
By John W. GOODWIN Jr.
YOUNGSTOWN
A city man is headed to prison a second time for kidnapping his wife and threatening her life.
Clarence Rakes, 59, of Clearmont Drive, appeared Thursday for sentencing by Judge Lou D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas of Court on charges of felonious assault, burglary, kidnapping, misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor violation of a protection order.
Rakes was sentenced to prison for a total of 10 years on the charges. He also will be on monitored probation for five years once he is released.
Police say Rakes broke into the home of his estranged wife at 4:30 a.m. April 3 and held a knife to her throat threatening to kill her. The woman’s son and the son’s 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 was treated for cuts to her neck.
Police records show Rakes was convicted of the same crime against the same woman more than 10 years ago.
City prosecutors said Rakes broke into the same woman’s home in 1999 and held her hostage at gunpoint along with some juveniles. 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 four years in prison after being convicted of that crime.
Gabriel Wildman, an assistant county prosecutor, asked that Rakes be given a 20-year sentence for the most recent crime. He told the court that 20 years in prison would make it impossible for Rakes to commit the same crime a third time.
Atty. Ron Yarwood, representing Rakes, asked for a nine- or 10-year sentence, saying 20 years in prison would amount to a life sentence for Rakes, who soon will turn 60.
“What I find as a common theme to these cases is their relationship to each other and drug abuse. He was a functioning cocaine user, meaning he would go to work and other things, but it had a strain on the relationship. ... They have a strange relationship,” Yarwood said of Rakes and the victim.
Rakes declined to make a statement before sentencing, but his estranged wife asked the court to give Rakes 20 years in prison.
“I fear for my life. I have been through physical, mental and emotional abuse from him,” she said in a prepared statement.
Judge D’Apolito, before imposing a sentence, said it may be odd but of little consequence that the victim had contact with Rakes while he was in the county jail. He said Rakes’ past criminal history and protecting the victim and public are more important.