Tulsa man jailed on rape allegation
BY KENDRICK MARSHALL World Staff Writer
Sunday, November 25, 2012
11/25/12 at 4:27 AM
A Tulsa man was taken into custody early Saturday on an allegation that he raped a 16-year-old girl.
Tshaka Rivers, 31, was booked into the Tulsa Jail on a single first-degree rape complaint, jail records show.
Rivers is accused of forcing himself on a 16-year-old girl in a home in the 5300 block of North Johnstown Avenue, according to an arrest report.
Rivers is employed as managing director of programs at New Hope, 10901 S. Yale Ave., a nonprofit organization that provides after-school and summer camp programs for children of incarcerated parents.
Officials at New Hope were not immediately available for comment.
The victim told police Rivers entered her bedroom about 4 a.m. Saturday, touched her inappropriately and raped her, according to the report.
During the alleged encounter, Rivers is reported to have told the girl, "we are going to keep this between us," according to the report.
The victim immediately informed a relative and police were contacted.
Rivers is believed to be a family acquaintance, police said.
He is being held in the Tulsa Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Rivers' son, Elijah Rivers, 7, a student at Tulsa Lighthouse Charter School, 105 E. 63rd St. North, was killed Oct. 31 when he was struck by a car near Virgin Street and Harvard Avenue.
