Man pleads not guilty to raping, beating woman in vacant home

A 29-year-old man raped and beat a woman Nov. 15 in a vacant Luna Drive home in Columbus, according to testimony Tuesday in Recorder’s Court.

Jeffery Bernard Jukes of Columbus, who was identified as the attacker, pleaded not guilty to rape and sodomy charges stemming from the 12:50 a.m. incident. He was not given a bond.

Detective Tom Shelton said the woman was walking from a friend’s home when Jukes, a man she knew, approached her and offered her a ride “to his home.” He took her to a vacant Luna Drive residence but resides on Poppy Seed Loop, officials said.

Shelton said the woman was attacked shortly after they entered the house, which had no power or furniture.

“At that time, she states, Mr. Jeffery Jukes physically attacked her, striking her in the face and knocking her to the ground,” Shelton said. “At which point, he also forced her to perform oral sex on him.”

He left the residence shortly after he allegedly attacked her. That’s when she ran outside and flagged down a vehicle to call 911, police said.

“She was partially dressed and the clothes she did have on were in shambles,” Shelton said, later  adding that the woman was bleeding.

The victim was transported to the Midtown Medical Center, where she was treated and later released. Results from a sexual assault kit showed “positive results for human male DNA.”

“A test has not been conducted to compare Jukes to this DNA at this point,” the detective told the court.

Jukes was taken into custody on multiple felony warrants at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at his residence in the 2900 block of Poppy Seed Loop.

Represented by Public Defender Charles Lykins, Jukes didn’t testify in court.

Judge Michael Joyner bound the case over to Superior Court.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Man pleads not guilty to raping, beating woman in vacant home."