Atlanta Rapist Pretended to Be Gay to Gain Victim's Trust

An Atlanta man who pretended to be gay in order to befriend a lesbian has been convicted of raping her in 2015.

Taurence Callagain had met the victim, whose name was not released, at a transit station in Atlanta, and it turned out they rode the same train daily, according to a news release from the Fulton County District Attorney's office. He told her he was gay, and they struck up a friendship over several weeks.

On the night of September 6, the victim, who rode two buses and a train on her work commute, missed the last bus from her train station. Callagain offered to drive her to her home, which was a mile and a half from the station. She accepted, and first they stopped at his house, where he had some marijuana. She thought they were going to smoke in Callagain's bedroom, but instead he began to choke her and then raped her. He told her that if she struggled or screamed, "I will get my boys to come in and hold you down." She heard another male voice from elsewhere in the house, so she believed Callagain would make good on his threat.

She eventually escaped and ran the three miles to her home. She then went to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment and called the police. She was able to describe details of Callagain's home, and her underwear was found in his laundry hamper. He claimed the sex was consensual, but he was later arrested.

It's not clear when Callagain was convicted, but the DA's office announced it Tuesday. He will be sentenced later.