Bond denied for man charged with raping woman after breaking into her Ballantyne home

CHARLOTTE — A 32-year-old man is accused of breaking into a home in Ballantyne and sexually assaulting a woman Wednesday morning, police said. He was arrested Wednesday and was denied bond in court on Thursday.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers responded to the home in the 10200 block of Chilvary Drive off Ballantyne Commons Parkway on a breaking-and-entering call.

The victim’s 15-year-old child called 911 to say someone broke into their home and was assaulting her mom downstairs.

“It was a very violent assault,” said CMPD Maj. Jonathan Thomas.

They heard screaming inside and quickly took Santerius Qwayshawn Allen into custody.

“This was very rare for us to catch a violent offender like this, in the act, on the scene,” Thomas said.

Police said the woman’s husband and son had left right before Allen broke into the home around 10:30 a.m. through a window. In court Thursday, prosecutors said the woman heard him enter and tried to run, but Allen allegedly grabbed her by her hair, forced her to the ground, and raped her.

The attack appeared to be random, CMPD said.

Prosecutors said the woman yelled in another language for her daughter, who was upstairs, to call police. The teen was not physically assaulted, police said.

Prosecutors said the 45-year-old mother broke free from Allen and got to the front door to find police arriving. They arrested Allen on the spot.

“That brave child was able to stay on the phone hiding, stay on the phone with dispatchers until officers arrived,” CMPD Capt. Jamie Ivie said. “Officers made entry and were able to quickly take the suspect into custody.”

He was taken to jail and charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense, sexual battery, and assault on a female.

In court, Judge Fritz Mercer told Allen he was a in a heap of trouble and that he wouldn’t be getting out of jail. That was before Mercer denied him bond.

“Our thoughts are with the survivor and her family,” said Leanna Pai with Safe Alliance.

Safe Alliance is a center offering hope and healing to sex assault survivors and others. Pai said random acts like this appeared to be are especially rare.

“That does not make it any easier to handle it or to find healing,” she added.

Pai said the family has a long road to recovery, which could include therapy, trauma care, and help with legal services. She just wants the family to know help is there.

“You’re not alone,” she said. “You don’t have to go through this by yourself. That people are here for you.”

‘This person should not be out’

The suspect has a criminal history.

“I just cannot say enough how much this person should not be out,” Thomas said. “Hopefully, the justice system will take control of this person and put them away for a very long time.”

Allen has an October 2015 conviction for assault on an officer in Cleveland County, according to the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

While in prison, he was also charged with malicious conduct, possessing stolen goods, and assaulting another officer.

In 2014, Allen was charged with a breaking-and-entering charge. That case was dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

A neighbor who lives in the Ballantyne neighborhood where the assault happened told the judge Thursday that the case has broken the fabric of their community.

Allen told the judge he wanted to represent himself, but he was assigned a public defender.

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