NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Michael Ciskiewic, 25, was arraigned in Niagara Falls City Court on charges of Kidnapping, Rape, Burglary, Assault and Menacing.
Ciskiewic's defense attorney, Dominic Saraceno, entered a not-guilty plea and waived a felony hearing as the criminal case will now be handed up to a higher court in Niagara County where the bail issue will be dealt with.
Saraceno told reporters that his client has a long history of mental health issues going back to when he was young - especially dealing with paranoid schizophrenia.
"This should be a wake up call to our lawmakers that we can't continue to ignore the mental health crisis in our community," said Saraceno.
Police say Ciskiewic went to a woman's house that he cut grass and shoveled snow for around 1 a.m. Sunday morning June 9th.
When she opened the door, detectives say Ciskiewic attacked her, and despite a desperate attempt to fight her attacker, the victim was forcibly taken to Ciskiewic's home were he raped her, chained her ankles with padlocks, taped her wrists, and taped socks into her mouth.
As family and neighbors were looking for the missing woman and checking home security video for clues, a neighbor said Ciskiewic was outside mowing the lawn up and down the street as if nothing had happened - even as his victim was chained in his basement.
"We were able to get a really bad guy off the street," added Detective Captain Kelly Rizzo from Niagara Falls Police.
An order of protection was granted by Niagara Falls City Court for the victim and another person.
Police said Ciskiewic had a minor police record but would not elaborate.
However, a neighbor told 7 Eyewitness News that Ciskiewic had two young daughters and the mother of the children had moved out of Ciskiewic's home after a domestic incident.
Since the matter could go before a Niagara County Grand Jury, no date has been set yet for Ciskiewic's return to court.
