Bond increased for suspect in rape of girl, 10, burglary

• By JASON BROWN
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: May 28, 2009 - Page: 1BA

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LAFAYETTE — A state district judge increased the bond Wednesday after having previously reduced it on a 28-year-old Palmetto man who faces life in prison if he is convicted on pending rape, attempted murder and aggravated burglary charges.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Letrakus Tyler in March after he allegedly broke into a residence in northern Lafayette Parish and raped a 10-year-old girl.

Tyler’s bond was initially set at $500,000 but it was later reduced following a bond reduction hearing before District Judge Jules D. Edwards III.

Edwards said he lowered the bond from $500,000 without restriction to a $100,000 commercial bond only, with no personal sureties, and house arrest with electronic monitoring as a condition.

J.N. Prather, who is prosecuting the case, said Tyler was arrested by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office on a charge of illegal possession of a stolen firearm while he was out on bond.

Prather said Tyler was allegedly caught with a Browning 10-gauge shotgun.

Tyler is also the subject of another ongoing rape investigation involving yet another juvenile, Prather said.

In light of that, a hearing on whether to increase Tyler’s bond was held Wednesday.

Prather asked the court to increase Tyler’s bond to $400,000.

During the hearing, Tyler was accused of violating his home monitoring by tampering with the system: unplugging it from the phone line.

Edwards opted to increase Tyler’s bond to $200,000 and placed further restrictions on Tyler’s home monitoring by ordering further limitations on where he can go.