Bond has been reduced for a man in Nashville, Tennessee, who was charged with raping two teenage girls at gunpoint in 2024, a move that brought heavy criticism.
The suspect, identified as Dejuan Moore, had his bond lowered from $810,000 to $304,000 in Judge Khadija Babb‘s courtroom, WZTV reported Tuesday.
Authorities charged him with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated rape, resisting arrest, evading arrest, and evading arrest by a motor vehicle, the outlet said.
Now, the Vice President of Community Relations at the Sexual Assault Center, Lorraine McGuire, believes the action to lower Moore’s bond sends a negative message.
“It makes it seem like his life is more important than the victims he sexually assaulted,” she stated, later adding that the ruling “can be incredibly triggering to survivors who hear this and make them lose faith in trying to pursue criminal justice.”
An image shows the suspect involved:
COMING UP AT 9: A Nashville man charged with raping two teen girls at gunpoint has had his bond reduced from $810,000 to $304,000. Hear from victim advocates and his defense attorney tonight. https://t.co/o2633agULL pic.twitter.com/QczP9LcK8t
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) April 15, 2025
The case centers around Moore and three girls, two of them 17 years old at the time and one of them being 15 years old at the time, per USA Today.
The incident happened in the early morning hours of November 24 when the suspect asked the three girls at a gas station to attend a party. However, when they refused the invitation and drove away he allegedly chased their car and made them to pull over behind a Dollar General.
He is accused of forcing two of the girls to perform sex acts on him at gunpoint, during which the third girl called 911 for help, per the WZTV article.
Moore is reportedly originally from Chicago and was arrested there for gun possession. However, “testimony said it was dismissed,” the outlet continued. “Judge Babb acknowledged Moore’s charges are troubling but ruled in the favor of the defense, citing proof at the bond hearing and the nature of the offense among other things,” it said.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network’s (RAINN) website, the effects of sexual violence can take a heavy toll on victims, who may experience depression, flashbacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Moore is scheduled to appear again in court before Judge Babb on July 31.
