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A 52-year-old Cut Off man is charged with first-degree rape and other charges after allegedly holding a woman and her daughter against their will during the weekend.
At around 10 a.m., on July 14, a woman arrived at LPSO’s South Lafourche Sub-Station in reference to a disturbance at a Cut Off residence.
The woman indicated she and her teenage daughter were held against their will by Morgan Ratley for more than a day – from 5 p.m. on July 12 to the morning of July 14.
The woman told authorities that a rape had also occurred during that time.
Through investigation, detectives learned that the woman and her daughter were at the residence with Ratley when he allegedly approached the woman with duct tape and attempted to restrain her.
The daughter attempted to contact the Sheriff’s Office, but Ratley took the phone away.
He then used the tape to restrain the woman to a chair.
The suspect occasionally released the woman from the restrains, according to LPSO, but would not allow her to leave.
Finally on Sunday, the two victims were able to escape the residence and proceed to the Sheriff’s Office.
Following investigation, authorities were able to obtain warrants for Ratley’s arrest on charges of first-degree rape, sexual battery, domestic abuse battery and false imprisonment.
Authorities made contact with the suspect and arrested him.
He was booked in the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on the charges. Bail is set at $135,000.
The identities of the victims and further details are being withheld to protect the victims.
