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Woman says man she met online raped her

A woman in Brevard County said a man she met online gave her a strange drink before he raped her. Dan Billow reports.
A woman in Brevard County said a man she met online gave her a strange drink before he raped her. Dan Billow reports.
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Woman says man she met online raped her
A woman in Brevard County said a man she met online gave her a strange drink before he raped her.The suspect, Erik Craig, faced a judge Thursday and is now behind bars.Craig, an Orlando boat builder, has been under investigation since May. He was charged with two counts of sexual battery, or rape, of a physically helpless victim.Police said the encounter began on an online dating site called Plenty of Fish and the two later met at a Titusville pub. From there, they went to the victim's apartment.At the apartment, the woman went into another room and when she came out, he had rapidly prepared two drinks. An arrest warrant said after consuming a very small amount, the woman immediately started feeling dizzy and fell unconscious. The report said she awoke to find Craig having his way with her, but she was unable to do anything about it. She couldn't communicate and was physically unable to move.The law provides that the degree of the crime and the potential punishment are enhanced when a victim is physically incapacitated."The potential sentence for the defendant is significantly more," said prosecutor Gary Beatty.The arrest warrant indicates no evidence that the victim or the drink were lab-tested to find out what was in the liquid. "In absence of any physical findings, say a drug test or lab test, the evidence the state would present would be the testimony of the victim," Beatty said.Craig awaits trial on $80,000 bail. 

A woman in Brevard County said a man she met online gave her a strange drink before he raped her.

The suspect, Erik Craig, faced a judge Thursday and is now behind bars.

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Craig, an Orlando boat builder, has been under investigation since May. He was charged with two counts of sexual battery, or rape, of a physically helpless victim.

Police said the encounter began on an online dating site called Plenty of Fish and the two later met at a Titusville pub. From there, they went to the victim's apartment.

At the apartment, the woman went into another room and when she came out, he had rapidly prepared two drinks. An arrest warrant said after consuming a very small amount, the woman immediately started feeling dizzy and fell unconscious. 

The report said she awoke to find Craig having his way with her, but she was unable to do anything about it. She couldn't communicate and was physically unable to move.

The law provides that the degree of the crime and the potential punishment are enhanced when a victim is physically incapacitated.

"The potential sentence for the defendant is significantly more," said prosecutor Gary Beatty.

The arrest warrant indicates no evidence that the victim or the drink were lab-tested to find out what was in the liquid. 

"In absence of any physical findings, say a drug test or lab test, the evidence the state would present would be the testimony of the victim," Beatty said.

Craig awaits trial on $80,000 bail.