Landlord Sexually Battered Female Tenant: Deputies

BRADENTON, FL — A 53-year-old Bradenton man faces multiple criminal charges after Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies say he sexually battered a female tenant in his home several times over the course of a few days.

The case against Richard Botek began to unfold just after noon on June 17. According to an arrest report, the victim, a 26-year-old woman, was in her room in Botek’s Bradenton home putting her hair up at that time. Botek is accused of barging into the room, picking the woman up and taking her to his bedroom. He is then accused of groping her and holding her against her will for about 30 minutes before she was able to get away, the report said.

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Botek, the report said, laughed at the woman and “added that this was his house and this would happen again.” The woman, the report noted, was afraid of retaliation and did not call law enforcement at that time.

Later that night, Botek is accused of once again going into the woman’s room, grabbing her and carrying her off to his own bed. The woman, however, recorded “the crime on her cell phone,” the arrest report noted. Botek is accused of inappropriately touching the woman during the alleged second attack and holding her against her will. The woman, the report said, was still afraid to call 911, but kept the audio recording.

A third alleged attack occurred on Monday around 11 p.m., according to the arrest report. During that incident, Botek is accused of throwing a plate at the women and slapping her. The woman did call authorities after that encounter, the report said.

Botek was charged with sexual battery, false imprisonment and battery on Monday, the sheriff’s office said. Bokek is also accused of flattening the tires on the woman’s vehicle.

No further information is available at this time.

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Booking photo courtesy of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office