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Man charged in Raleigh rape

Police said an 18-year-old woman was walking along Hillsborough Street early Friday morning when a man forced her into an alley and raped her.

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Roderic Smith
RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh police have arrested a man they suspect raped an 18-year-old woman in an alley early Friday.

Police arrested Roderic Anthony Smith, 32, and charged him with second-degree forcible rape, second-degree forcible sex offense, second-degree kidnapping and first-degree trespassing.

The 18-year-old woman was walking along Hillsborough Street near Pogue Street when an assailant confronted her around 3:30 a.m., officers said. The man forced her into an alley and raped her, authorities said.

Smith matched the victim's description of her assailant, and officers had spotted him in the general area of the crime scene earlier. The Special Victim's Unit obtained warrants against him, and an officer located him later that day.

Smith was in jail under a $501,000 secured bond Saturday morning. His first court appearance was set for 2 p.m. Monday.

Smith has been convicted previously of misdemeanor indecent exposure and assault on a female in Wake County, according to state Department of Correction records.

He was sentenced to probation for both crimes but served three months in prison for violating his probation for indecent exposure by assaulting a public officer and/or a state employee.

DOC records show that Smith was released from prison in September after serving nine months for attempted common-law robbery.

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