SALEM – A homeless man accused of strangling and raping a 17-year-old girl in the elevator at the Central Square Commuter Rail station in June has been deemed too dangerous to be released, pending his trial.Following several hearings in Salem Superior Court, Judge John T. Lu ruled that Joseph Sarcione is a danger to the community, “specifically to women, girls and female commuters on the rail system” as he ordered him to remain held without bail at the Middleton Jail.Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton had argued before the court that Sarcione poses too much of a danger to be released.Buxton pointed out to Lu that two nights following the Lynn incident Sarcione was arrested in Lowell for allegedly attacking and assaulting a woman in her 30s.Sarcione apparently attacked another woman similar in age in Newton this past winter and also in 2005 Sarcione raped a woman similar in age at the Alewife Computer Rail System, Buxton said.Defense lawyer Mark Schmidt unsuccessfully argued for a cash bail in order for his client to be released pending his trial.Sarcione, 23, stands charged with two counts of rape, two counts of assault and battery as well as a single count of indecent assault and battery on a person over age 14. He pleaded innocent to all the charges in July.The attack happened on the night of June 6, when the 17-year-old Lynn native told authorities she was waiting for a train to go home to Gloucester after visiting a Lynn friend when Sarcione approached her and asked to borrow a lighter. The woman tried to avoid Sarcione by walking away to another part of the platform. She began looking at the train schedule, realizing she had already missed the train she expected to take back home to Gloucester.She told authorities she decided to return to her friend’s home. But as she entered the elevator Sarcione pushed her inside, placed his hand around her throat and used the other hand to pull down her pants, rape and fondle her. She kept pleading with him to stop.She said the assault lasted 10 to 15 minutes and ended when the elevator doors opened at the platform level where two men were standing.The two men pulled Sarcione off the victim and took the girl to the police station where she reported the sexual assault. She was taken to North Shore Children’s Hospital for treatment. The victim sustained several bruises on her neck, according to reports.Sarcione quickly took the elevator to the ground level and fled.Detectives were able to recognize Sarcione from a security camera in the garage. He was arrested in Lowell on June 8.The victim has since filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority claiming the agency “failed to take reasonable precautions to protect the public in general.”The T has also bolstered security in the garage and rail platform as a result of the incident.Sarcione is due back in court Oct. 25 for a pretrial conference.