EAST LAMPETER TOWNSHIP, Pa.–A Florida woman is headed to trial after police say she made a false rape claim while she was staying in Lancaster County in earlier this year.
Jeanninie M. Risley, 43, of St. Petersburg, is charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, making false reports and false alarm to agency of public safety.
According to the affidavit, Risley was staying at a home located along the 700 block of Willow Road in East Lampeter Township on the night of March 10 when she called 911 to say an unknown man had pulled her out of bed and raped her with a bottle. Risley was interviewed by authorities at Lancaster General Hospital.
Risley told investigators that she traveled to Lancaster County twice a month for work and stayed at her bosses home. She said was awoken by a man on top of her around midnight and that he pulled out of bed. She claimed the attacker forced her into the bathroom where he beat her head against the toilet and bathroom door, court documents state. The man then held a knife to her and raped her with a bottle for 10-to-15 minutes before leaving, according to the affidavit. Risley told investigators that she lost her Fitbit during the struggle with her attacker.
According to court documents, evidence collected at the scene did not match Risley’s story. Police found all the doors and windows were secure. Most of the home was surrounded by snow–but there were not footprints seen around the home. Police also did not find any shoe prints or dirt transfer from the alleged intruder inside the home. Officers did find Risley’s Fitbit in the hallway–but it wasn’t damaged.
Officers received permission from Risley to get access to her Fitbit account, according to the affidavit. Information collected from the Fitbit showed the number of steps taken by Risley leading up to the assault. The information showed that Risley was awake and walking around the entire night and did not go to bed as reported, court documents state.
Based on evidence and the information collected from the Fitbit investigators said they believed Risley fabricated the entire incident, the affidavit states.
Risley waived her preliminary hearing on Tuesday. A formal arraignment is scheduled for July 10.