Wake Early College student charged with rape in campus parking lot

Randy Bladermer Chavez-Argueta was arrested at his home at 1201 Kavkaz St. in Raleigh and charged with second-degree forcible rape. The incident allegedly took place in a car around midday on March 30.

Chavez-Argueta was a student in the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, which meets on the campus at 6600 Louisburg Road. Lisa Cummings, principal of the program, called parents last week to deliver the message.

"I want to assure you that all of us at Wake Early College care deeply about the safety and well-being of all of our students," Cummings said in the message.

An attorney for Chavez-Argueta asked Monday to have his bond lowered.

"He has a clean criminal history, he has good moral character, he is employed, he goes to school," attorney Anton Lebedev said.

"The facts of this case are in dispute. I would just like to point that out. The defendant's family can't afford a $250,000 bond right now."

Judge Ned Mangum denied the request, and Chavez-Argueta remains in the Wake County jail under $250,000 bail.

Wake Early College of Health and Sciences is operated on the Wake Tech campus by the Wake County Public School System. It allows students to take college classes tuition-free and to earn both a high school diploma and an associate's degree in five years.

Wake Tech also issued a statement, saying:

The Wake Tech campus community is deeply troubled by these allegations. The safety and well being of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is most important, as we work hard to maintain a safe and secure learning environment. Acts of violence or unlawful behavior of any kind will not be tolerated.

Neither Wake County schools or Wake Tech planned to make any changes to student safety policies after the incident.