Bail Increased for Accused Molester
A Superior Court judge has increased by $250,000 the bail established for a former elementary school teacher accused of molesting seven students, saying he is a flight risk.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Phillip Rabichow said Thursday he feared Jeffrey Raker, 46, of Studio City might try to escape from custody because he had done so once before.
Rabichow said witnesses will testify that Raker, a teacher at Hazeltine Avenue School for three years, had been jailed for child molesting in Guatemala, where he lived for 16 years before fleeing the country.
Superior Court Judge Jessica Perrin Silvers agreed and raised Raker’s bail from $500,000 to $750,000. Raker remained in custody.
Raker is accused of molesting seven boys he either coached in a baseball league or taught at Hazeltine. He pleaded not guilty to four additional counts of sexual molestation Thursday.
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