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UPDATED: Man suspected of beating Tacoma day care worker hit with 12 charges

Post by Stacia Glenn / The News Tribune on March 21, 2013 at 9:30 am |
March 21, 2013 2:18 pm

UPDATE as of 2:14 p.m.: Not guilty pleas were entered on Morris’ behalf this afternoon in Pierce County Superior Court.

Court Commissioner Meagan Foley upped Morris’ bail to $2 million at the request of deputy prosecutor Jared Ausserer. Foley also ordered Morris to surrender all weapons to authorities and to stay at least 1,000 feet away from any of his alleged victims should he make bail.

Prosecutors allege his crime spree dates back to at least August. In one case, he accused of attacking a woman in the laundry room of her apartment building, holding a gun to her head and forced her to fondle him, court records show.

The victim of the day-care assault was in court this afternoon to see Morris arraigned but left without speaking to reporters.

UPDATE as of 1:13 p.m.: Pierce County prosecutors charged Andrake Morris with first-degree attempted rape, three counts of indecent liberties, two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree attempted kidnapping, residential burglary, third-degree theft and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Charging papers show he has victimized five women since last March in Tacoma and Lakewood.

INITIAL POST: An 18-year-old man accused of brutally beating and sexually assaulting a Tacoma day care worker is scheduled to be charged and arraigned this afternoon, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said.

A SWAT team arrested Andrake Morris Monday night after Tacoma police detectives worked around-the-clock to identify him and link him to at least two similar attacks on women. Although he appeared in court Tuesday, prosecutors delayed charging him while police continued to investigate several cases they believe Andrake is tied to.

Morris remains at the Pierce County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

A 26-year-old woman was opening Tender Heart Day Care on Pacific Avenue Monday morning when Morris allegedly asked to come inside to enroll his child.

Once inside, the worker told police he suddenly attacked her. There was evidence of a brutal sexual assault, police spokeswoman Loretta Cool has said.

He is also suspected in an October robbery where authorities said he held up a woman at a drugstore in the 8400 block of Pacific Avenue.

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