Photo by John Rawlston

Defendant Tracy Roberson, foreground, back to camera, listens while Judge David Bales, center, sets his bond during a preliminary hearing at the Hamilton County Chattanooga Courts Building on Monday morning. At left is defense attorney Marty Levitt, and at right is District Attorney Bill Cox, who is pressing charges in the kidnapping and rape of a young woman at Heritage Landing during a burglary.

A judge this morning raised a man’s bond to $775,000 after hearing authorities say he invaded a Chattanooga home, raped the 19-year-old house sitter and threatened her with guns if she called the police.

Tracy A. Roberson, 36, of Hixson, is charged with aggravated rape, false imprisonment, aggravated robbery, theft over $10,000, especially aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000. He was charged in connection with an Aug. 7 home invasion in the Heritage Landing neighborhood on the North Shore.

Hamilton County General Sessions Judge David Bales sent the case to the grand jury after a preliminary hearing, saying that the “terror” the suspect put the victim through warranted a larger bond amount. Mr. Roberson’s bond had originally been set at $560,000.

The victim testified today about her ordeal, but did not cry and did not use any tissues when offered by a courtroom officer.

“I’m OK,” she said when District Attorney Bill Cox asked her how she was doing.

According to testimony, home-improvement contractor Freddie Wayne Ledford was working for two weeks at the Centennial Drive home where the rape occurred when his cousin, Mr. Roberson, asked him about details of the owners.

Mr. Ledford admitted to telling Mr. Roberson that the owners were out of town and that there was a “cute” housesitter staying there.

The victim testified she awoke at 4 a.m. on Aug. 7 to a man standing in the bedroom where she was sleeping. After bounding her hands and feet with duct tape, she said, he searched the house for about an hour before coming back and raping her.

He told her he had guns, according to testimony, and warned her not to call police, telling her he would come back at 7 a.m. to check on her.

See tomorrow’s Times Free Press for complete details.