A 19-year-old Brooklyn Center man is accused of slipping into a South Minneapolis home Friday, attacking a woman with a Taser and trying to sexually assault her before two women fought him off. He now faces three felony counts, with a first court appearance set for Tuesday.
According to KSTP, Cordero Orlando Ratcliff Jr. is charged with attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of first-degree burglary. The criminal complaint alleges he entered the living room while naked from the waist down and carrying a Taser and screwdriver.
The complaint says Ratcliff got into the house through a back gate and back door. The victim told police he used the Taser on her back, neck and legs before attempting to sexually assault her, but she fought back.
Another woman who lived at the home reportedly heard the victim yelling from an office. When Ratcliff turned the Taser on her, she slammed a door into him to keep him away, according to the allegations.
Police found Ratcliff while responding to the house, and both women identified him as the assailant. Investigators say he told them he had taken a bus to South Minneapolis without a specific plan before entering the home.
Ratcliff allegedly admitted that he tried to rape the victim and used the Taser during the attack, KSTP reports. He is being held at the Hennepin County Jail on $250,000 bail, and his first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
What The Minnesota Charges Mean
Minnesota law treats first-degree burglary as a serious felony when someone enters a dwelling without consent while another person is present, possesses a dangerous weapon or weapon-like object, or assaults someone inside. The statute allows a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $35,000, according to the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
First-degree criminal sexual conduct covers sexual penetration involving circumstances such as fear of imminent great bodily harm, use of a dangerous weapon or force. Minnesota's attempt statute separately addresses conduct that amounts to a substantial step toward a crime, but the charges against Ratcliff remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
