The article that broke this story on Pennlive by Christine Vendel: She says a military officer raped her
Veronika Rodriguez is a young nurse serving the in the Pennsylvania Air Guard in Annville. She was invited to dinner by a senior military officer, a physician, who she met at the base and said he was "new in town" (false). She reportedly felt so threatened by his behavior that she began an audio recording which later captured her reported assault.
PIER HESS GRAF, the Lebanon County DA, is now charging Veronika Rodriguez with 2 felony counts of "wiretapping" (PA is a 2-party consent state to record) and "false reporting" (the reasoning is she waited too long to report).
What makes this case so head-scratching?
- The DA is married to state police. Her husband, Christopher Graf, is a senior detective in the force. She's been easy on police in the past including for DUI all the way to use of lethal force.
- The police of Fort Indiantown Gap, who apprehended the duo on their night out for trespassing and conducted a criticized investigation of the allegations, are actually state employees and in charge of security at the Air Guard base itself
- The alleged perpetrator carried a police badge
- Lebanon County has among the lowest rate of reported sex crime prosecutions in the state as concluded by the local NAACP
The young woman's friends have created Veronika's Voice where you can sign the petition to help as well as find out other ways to help/ donate.
Posted by gardeningwench