A Selma man charged with raping his teenage cousin and robbing a Gone Country employee and forcing her to strip nude has given up his right to a jury trial and entered a guilty plea to both charges.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s office describes Stanfernis Lendale Benjamin as a “sick and dangerous” person that should remain off the streets. And if things go as prosecutors hope, he could face a long prison term.

Benjamin, who currently in the Dallas County Jail under $35,000 bond, appeared in Judge Jack Meigs courtroom this week, pleading guilty to a 2001 rape first degree charge and a 2000 robbery second degree offense.

According to police reports, Benjamin was charged with robbery first degree for the Dec. 29, 2000 when he entered the Gone Country restaurant and robbed a female employee at knifepoint and forced her to strip nude.

The charge was later amended to robbery second. He faces 20 to 99 years in prison for the crime because a deadly weapon was involved, assistant district attorney Mickey Avery explained. Avery said Benjamin was offered a 20 year sentence for both crimes, but refused the offer and decided to take his chances on entering a blind plea before Circuit Judges Jack Meigs and Marvin Wiggins in September.

Benjamin also faces 15 to 99 years for the September 2001 rape first degree in which he confessed to police he forced his teenage cousin to have sex with him.

He told police he didn’t know how it happened, but said, “I had sex with her. She didn’t want to, but I don’t know what came over me.”

The victim stated to police she asleep in her bedroom when she heard a knock at her front door at 2:30 a.m. She answered the door, thinking it was her brother, but soon found out it was her cousin (Benjamin) better known to her as “Dike.”

She said Benjamin asked to use her phone and she went back to sleep. The victim told detectives Benjamin came into her room and climbed on top of her, forcing himself on her. She said she managed to get away and ran towards the hallway, but Benjamin grabbed her around the neck, threatening to kill her if she did not cooperate.

During the rape, the victim state she begged Benjamin to stop but he refuse.

Oddly enough, Benjamin and the victim told police that they both swore on the bible not to tell anyone what had happened. The victim said she swore to Benjamin so he would believe her and leave her alone.

Benjamin’s appointed attorney Vaughan Russell could not be reached for comment.