Rape suspect has history of arrests

May 21, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Michael R. Tackett’s arrest on Wednesday continues a series of encounters with law enforcement dating back to 2005.

Four of those were rape cases while another dealt with stalking charges.

Tackett, 39, of 1459 14th St., West Pittsburg, is in Crawford County jail after being arraigned Wednesday night in Lawrence County. State police in Meadville filed charges against Tackett after the investigation of a May 24, 2007, rape that occurred in Woodcock Township.

He was charged with four felony counts of rape by forcible compulsion; two felony counts of sexual assault; terroristic threats; and simple assault. His bond was set at $500,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 1.

Tackett’s capture took place after a five-hour standoff with state police. Troopers from the Meadville and New Castle stations attempted to serve an arrest warrant at 12:30 p.m. to the West Pittsburg resident. He refused to comply with orders to leave his home.

State police then called in its Special Emergency Response Team. Seven members of the squad entered the home at 5:34 p.m. and quickly had Tackett in custody.

AWAITING TRIAL

Tackett had been free on $100,000 bond when Wednesday’s episode unfolded.

In a 19-count indictment, state police charged that Tackett repeatedly had raped a real estate agent on June 11, 2009, in Jefferson Township, Mercer County.

His trial is scheduled for July.

In December, Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Judge John C. Reed reduced his bail from $200,000 after Tackett’s defense attorney, Thomas W. Leslie, argued that the initial amount was excessive. Tackett testified that he had a back injury and that the county could not meet his medical needs, according to published reports.

State police opposed the move.

“Obviously, we were disappointed and alarmed that he bonded out,” state police Trooper Dan Sindlinger told the Sharon Herald.

At the time, Sindlinger said Tackett was potentially dangerous and may be singling out female real estate agents. The victim of the 2007 rape in Woodcock Township worked as a real estate agent when Tackett reportedly raped her.

West Pittsburg resident Stacey Maravola said she last saw Tackett when he was released from custody.

“Other than that, I haven’t seen him,” she said. “He was real quiet. He didn’t come out.”

OTHER CHARGES

The first two of Tackett’s cases involved charges filed in September and October 2005. In both instances, known prostitutes claimed Tackett had raped them.

An Ellwood City woman charged that Tackett raped her at gunpoint in late April 2005. Charges were dismissed when the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office could not locate the alleged victim.
In the second case, a former New Castle resident told police Tackett attempted to rape her on Dec. 1, 2003. During an encounter on May 31, 2004, she stated, he had succeeded.

On July 19, 2006, a jury found Tackett not guilty on the six charges.

A year after the jury verdict, an Austin, Texas, woman claimed Tackett had stalked her as she walked along Route 422 in Shenango Township. That woman alleged that in the early morning hours of July 20, 2007, Tackett was in a wooded area, following her.

Reportedly terrorizing her, Tackett allegedly said he was going to sexually assault and then kill her.

Township police filed six charges against Tackett. When the woman failed to appear at three hearings, police withdrew the charges.

Other charges Tackett has faced include:

•Burglary: State police said Tackett stole two safes containing about $10,000 in cash and business checks from a Union Township business on Feb. 25, 2002. The four charges, filed Nov. 22, 2005, were dismissed when then-District Judge James Reed ruled the allegations could not be proven.

•Receiving stolen property: State police said a trooper found a stolen semiautomatic pistol while searching Tackett’s home as part of a rape investigation. A felony charge was filed Nov. 22, 2005. The Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office dropped the charge Sept. 22, 2006, when it could not find the alleged victim.

•Harassment: State police filed a summary harassment charge on June 1, 2005. Tackett was found guilty and fined $123.50.