Tagged News

• Tangipahoa Parish deputies arrest two men accused of computer-aided solicitation of minor Play Video

  December 6, 2024 3:05 PM

  HAMMOND — The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office arrested two people for computer-aided solicitation of minors and indecent behavior with a juvenile earlier this week, including a convicted sex offender from Lafayette. Oran Joseph Thomas, 45, and Joshua Landry, 35, were both arrested by deputies in Tangipahoa Parish. Thomas,... more »

• Former Iberville Parish deputy sentenced to life for coercing a woman into raping her infant son Play Video

  November 8, 2024 11:49 AM

  ST. GABRIEL - A former Iberville Parish deputy found guilty for coercing a woman to rape her one-year-old son was sentenced to life in prison. Shaderick Jones, 47, was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after being found guilty in October of acting as principal to first-degree rape, as... more »

• Man arrested for molesting young girl in Ascension Parish Play Video

  November 6, 2024 4:43 PM

  DONALDSONVILLE — A man in Ascension Parish was arrested for molesting and raping a young girl, deputies said Wednesday. Byron Crowfoot, 43, was arrested after a 14-year-old girl came forward with allegations that he sexually abused her over two years starting when she was six. Crowfoot was booked... more »

• Gonzales man accused of raping, molesting teenage girl for five years arrested Play Video

  October 30, 2024 12:05 PM

  GONZALES — A Gonzales man was arrested for raping and molesting a teenage girl for at least half a decade. Adam Howell Sr., 38, was arrested by Ascension Parish deputies on Tuesday. Deputies said that a 14-year-old girl told them that she was sexually abused by Howell for... more »

• Pierre Part man accused of raping a minor arrested

  October 24, 2024 12:04 PM

  PIERRE PART — A Pierre Part man accused of raping a minor was arrested. Drew Michael Sparks, 32, was arrested Wednesday on one charge of first-degree rape after Assumption Parish deputies received a tip that "alleged inappropriate sexual acts upon a juvenile under the age of thirteen." Deputies... more »

• Serial rapist from 1990s, son of BR judge, accused of obscenity at St. George hotel Play Video

  October 21, 2024 11:18 AM

  ST. GEORGE — A man convicted on two counts of rape in 1997 and on probation until 2036 was arrested after allegedly exposing himself to a maid at a St. George hotel. Nelson Dan Taylor, 45, is accused of one count of obscenity. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office... more »

• Man accused of Ponchatoula home invasion arrested on armed robbery, attempted rape charges Play Video

  October 18, 2024 10:51 AM

  PONCHATOULA — A Hammond man was arrested on armed robbery and attempted rape charges during a Ponchatoula home invasion in August. Tydarius Rico Andrews, 23, was arrested by Tangipahoa Parish deputies and Hammond Police on Wednesday. Deputies said three people wearing masks entered a Wood Avenue home on... more »

• Folsom man arrested, accused of raping two teenage girls on separate occasions Play Video

  October 8, 2024 10:24 AM

  LORANGER - Deputies arrested a man accused of raping two teenage girls a week apart. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office was notified of the actions of 24-year-old Dakota Anderson after receiving a tip from one of the victims. Anderson is accused of two counts of second-degree rape. The... more »

• 'Callin' Baton Rouge' singer Garth Brooks issues statement amid sexual assault allegations Play Video

  October 3, 2024 5:25 PM

  LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who says she worked as a hair-and-makeup stylist for Garth Brooks alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel in 2019. The woman does not use her name and goes by Jane Roe in the lawsuit... more »

• Former EBRSO, Livingston Parish deputy arrested for two counts of first-degree rape Play Video

  October 2, 2024 10:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A former deputy with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office was arrested in Livingston Parish for two counts of first-degree rape, according to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. LPSO said Nicholas LoCicero, 38, of Denham Springs was booked into the Livingston Parish Jail on the rape... more »

• Man arrested twice for violent sexual assault in two parishes had multiple restraining orders against him Play Video

  August 9, 2024 5:03 PM

  LIVINGSTON - An alleged serial rapist is behind bars in East Baton Rouge, and he faces more sexual assault accusations in Livingston Parish. After WBRZ reported on David Blake Coutee’s arrest in June, Livingston deputies say another victim came forward. Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard says there may be... more »

• Roseland rape suspect who skipped trial now back in custody Play Video

  August 6, 2024 4:06 PM

  AMITE— A Roseland man who skipped his rape trial last month is now back in custody of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. Gerald Stevens, 55, failed to appear for his July 15 rape trial. He's accused of third degree rape in a case involving a child from 2021. ... more »

• Man previously accused of violent sexual assault arrested again after another victim comes forward Play Video

  August 6, 2024 1:38 PM

  WALKER — A Walker man previously arrested for holding a Baton Rouge woman hostage in her home, raping and assaulting her was arrested again on multiple rape and battery charges, Livingston Parish deputies said. David Blake Coutee, 38, was arrested and booked Thursday into the Livingston Parish Detention Center... more »

• Napoleonville teen arrested for rape of child under 13 years old

  July 23, 2024 3:16 PM

  NAPOLEONVILLE— A 14-year-old boy is now in a juvenile correctional facility after Assumption Parish Sheriff's deputies say he raped a child under 13. Deputies say they received a complaint late last month that the teen had raped the child several times over a one year period at a home... more »

• New apartment community for survivors of domestic violence and their children now open Play Video

  July 11, 2024 9:29 AM

  SCOTLANDVILLE - The Young Women's Christian Association of Greater Baton Rouge is celebrating the opening of its housing community for survivors of domestic violence. According to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV), Louisiana consistently leads the nation in domestic homicides and has ranked among the top five almost... more »

• Houma man arrested on drug, child rape charges after raid yields $46,000 in marijuana

  July 3, 2024 5:14 PM

  HOUMA — A Houma man was arrested on drug and rape charges after two narcotic raids, Louisiana State Police said. Javonne Amacker, 29, was initially arrested Monday on possession with the intent to distribute, among other charges, LSP said. Amacker was additionally charged with third-degree rape and indecent behavior... more »

• Former Istrouma High coach accused of having sex with student changes plea to guilty, charges reduced Play Video

  July 3, 2024 3:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE — A former high school coach in Baton Rouge who was accused of luring a student into a closet for sex in 2023 pleaded guilty to several charges after previously pleading not guilty in January, court records show. Johnnie Butler's sexual battery charge was dismissed Monday by... more »

• State Police implement program allowing anonymous tracking of sexual assault kit Play Video

  July 2, 2024 11:28 AM

  BATON ROUGE — Sexual assault survivors can now anonymously track the location and status of their sexual assault kit through a web-based program run by State Police. The Sexual Assault Kit Tracking Program was launched Monday by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. The program allows survivors to track... more »

• Walker man arrested for allegedly holding Baton Rouge woman hostage in her home, raping, assaulting her Play Video

  June 25, 2024 5:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE — A Walker man accused of beating and raping a woman in her Baton Rouge home was arrested Tuesday, records show. David Blake Coutee, 38, was arrested in Livingston Parish and is accused of first-degree rape, aggravated second-degree battery, false imprisonment, aggravated damage to property and aggravated... more »

• Donaldsonville man sentenced for 25 years for rape of two juveniles

  May 31, 2024 3:18 PM

  DONALDSONVILLE - A man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of rape Friday. Layne Barras, 28, pled guilty to two counts of third-degree rape as a result of a plea agreement with prosecutors. In July 2021, Assumption Parish Sheriff's detectives... more »

• Man accused of Ascension Parish carjacking and separate rape arrested in Houston

  May 31, 2024 11:21 AM

  HOUSTON — A man who was wanted in Ascension Parish crimes including a rape and separate kidnapping and carjacking has been captured in Houston, arrest records show. Zachary Alphonse Hendricks, 30, was arrested there Tuesday in two burglaries and for allegedly evading arrest. After that arrest, authorities discovered the... more »

• Louisiana Supreme Court reverses Baton Rouge judge's decision to free rapist behind bars 50 years Play Video

  May 30, 2024 7:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Supreme Court said Thursday a Baton Rouge judge erred when she threw out a man's rape conviction when all he asked her for was a reduced sentence. Judge Gail Horne Ray, whose son is a serial rapist, was not authorized to find Donald Ray... more »

• Man who kidnapped, raped LSU student at gunpoint in 2017 sentenced to 30 years in prison Play Video

  May 21, 2024 4:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge man convicted of kidnapping an LSU student from sorority row and raping her at gunpoint was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Frank Alvaro Herrera Jr., 28, pleaded guilty to the 2017 rape , kidnapping and armed robbery earlier in May before Monday's... more »

• Man arrested in rape, allegedly took pictures of victim while she was unconscious

  February 13, 2024 4:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man was arrested Tuesday, almost two months after he allegedly brought an intoxicated woman to his home and had sex with her when she was too drunk to consent. According to an arrest warrant, a woman told officers that she woke up naked in Jose... more »

• NAKAMOTO: East Feliciana deputy arrested on rape and video voyeurism charges

  December 13, 2023 3:02 PM

  FORDOCHE- An East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's deputy was arrested in Pointe Coupee Parish Tuesday night on charges of rape and video voyeurism. That deputy was identified as Mason Troth, according to sources. The charges stem from an incident involving a female in New Orleans who reported it to... more »

• Ponchatoula man arrested for rape, video voyeurism

  December 4, 2023 1:18 PM

  PONCHATOULA - After a day-long search, deputies arrested a man for rape and video voyeurism. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said 40-year-old Damien Gaston of Ponchatoula is accused of filming sexual encounters with women and distributing the videos. No more information on the accused crimes was released. more »

• Texas man charged with rape, trafficking in Baton Rouge

  November 18, 2023 1:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A 24-year-old Texas man is in jail facing charges of rape and trafficking following his arrest this week. Records show that Brian Moore, of Beaumont, was booked on Friday on those counts, along with a count of theft valued at more than $1,000. He is... more »

• Convicted in high-profile Livingston rape case, politically connected sex offender gets life sentence

  October 17, 2023 1:57 PM

  LIVINGSTON - A man who was convicted of rape and other charges after a girl in foster care said her cries for help went ignored for years is now slated to spend the rest of his life in prison. John Mack, 77, was handed down a life sentence for... more »

• Teacher booked for rape amid claims that she gave birth to student's child Play Video

  October 3, 2023 12:57 PM

  LORANGER - A school teacher has been arrested for sex crimes, including a rape charge, after deputies investigated claims she was impregnated by a student. "Sex education was taken literally at this school," George R. Tucker, the attorney representing the 17 year old, said. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's... more »

• LSU sanctioned over missing texts in federal Title IX lawsuit; University says private lawyers are to blame

  October 2, 2023 5:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU is being hit with sanctions after it was discovered the university failed to preserve text messages that were potentially vital to an ongoing sexual misconduct lawsuit linked to its tennis program. The civil suit alleges that university-issued phones that once belonged to former tennis coaches... more »

• EBR teacher arrested for sex crimes; text messages depict lewd meet-ups on high school campus Play Video

  September 12, 2023 10:03 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A substitute teacher had his contract with the EBR school system terminated amid an investigation into an inappropriate relationship he allegedly had with a 15-year-old student. Damien Clark, 24, was in a "position of supervision" over the victim, according to documents from the East Baton Rouge... more »

• Man arrested after allegedly raping LSU student in her dorm room Play Video

  September 12, 2023 8:00 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested a man Monday after he allegedly raped an LSU student in her dorm room. The LSU Police Department said it arrested Vishal Bhardwaj, 26, on Monday. Bhardwaj and the student had been in her dorm room on Saturday night when they began talking about... more »

• BRPD: Men accused of raping unconscious teens after buying them drinks; assault was caught on video

  September 11, 2023 6:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Two men, including a now-fired middle school football coach, are suspected of illegally giving drinks to a pair of underage women and then raping those same women in a parking lot after they blacked out. The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested 24-year-old Donald Johnson on Sunday... more »

• Bond reduced for defendant in Brooks rape case; videos shown at hearing

  August 31, 2023 10:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge on Thursday lowered the bond for one of four defendants in the Madison Brooks rape case -- but only after prosecutors showed videos that could play a significant role in the upcoming trials. Desmond Carter has remained in custody since he was charged earlier... more »

• Man sexually assaulted sleeping child during early-morning home invasion, EBR deputies say

  August 21, 2023 6:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man is accused of creeping into a family's bedroom and fondling a 7-year-old girl while she was sleeping next to her mother early Monday morning. According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, the assault happened around 1:20 a.m. at an apartment on Ned Avenue,... more »

• Months after LSU student's death, workers begin overhaul of shuttered Reggie's property Play Video

  August 17, 2023 12:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A small construction crew was spotted at Reggie's bar on Thursday, the now-shuttered venue that lost its liquor license after the death of LSU student Madison Brooks . Permits filed with the city-parish suggest the construction is related to renovations to the bar's patio. Video captured... more »

• Man faces hundreds of charges for child porn, animal sex abuse after raid at Baton Rouge home

  August 9, 2023 4:46 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Deputies found a stash of hundreds of disturbing images on a man's home computer while executing a search warrant this week. The illicit material was found Tuesday at 64-year-old Ronald Sanders's home along Baylor Drive. An arrest report said those images depicted multiple illegal sex acts... more »

• Man arrested for attempted first-degree rape after allegedly assaulting two children

  August 9, 2023 6:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Deputies arrested a man for two counts of attempted first-degree rape after he allegedly sexually assaulted two young girls. The Baton Rouge Police Department reported it had arrested Bryson Pitre, 23, for two counts of attempted first-degree rape, one count of sexual battery, and one count... more »

• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Leaked evidence shows Madison Brooks family pressed for sexual assault probe Play Video

  July 28, 2023 5:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE — More leaked evidence is painting a clearer picture of how the Madison Brooks case morphed from a probe of a pedestrian death into a full blown rape investigation. Leaked documents show that, in the hours after Brooks' death, a state trooper who was an acquaintance of... more »

• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Charges dropped against convicted sex offender accused of raping juvenile Play Video

  July 24, 2023 5:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE — Charges were dropped Monday against a convicted sex offender who was arrested in 2018 and accused of raping a teenage boy. Mark Russell, 61, was accused of raping and holding a 17-year-old male against his will while allegedly impersonating a police officer. The allegations came to... more »

• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Teacher, a former reserve deputy, accused of raping student at high school Play Video

  May 9, 2023 5:23 PM

  UPDATE: An arrest warrant has been signed for Johnnie Butler on a charge of third-degree rape. The warrant was signed by a judge late Tuesday afternoon. This is a breaking update. Read the original story below. ----- BATON ROUGE - A teacher has been placed on leave... more »

• Attorney questions rape counts for defendant in Brooks case

  May 5, 2023 10:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The attorney for a man accused of raping LSU student Madison Brooks wants prosecutors to explain their case. On Wednesday, a Baton Rouge grand jury indicted Casen Carver on one count of first degree rape and one count of third degree rape. Carver was one... more »

• Suspect in Madi Brooks case booked in separate rape investigation; bond set at $250K

  January 27, 2023 11:50 PM

  UPDATE: The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office announced Friday that Washington's bond was set at $250,000. ----- LIVINGSTON PARISH - A man accused of raping Madison Brooks the night she died in a traffic accident is back in jail, accused of raping a girl in Livingston Parish when he... more »

• LSU student allegedly raped at gunpoint inside dorm; accused attacker gets $250K bond Play Video

  November 2, 2022 6:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE – A suspected rapist was arrested by LSU Police on Wednesday, weeks after he allegedly raped an LSU student in her dorm room at gunpoint. According to an email sent to LSU parents and students, the rape happened Oct. 9 in Herget Hall. Arrest documents say... more »

• Foster parent accused in child rape case jailed with $325k bond

  August 10, 2022 3:27 PM

  ZACHARY - A man accused of sexually abusing at least three foster children who were left in his care remains jailed Wednesday, a little less than a week after his arrest. The East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office said Michael Hadden, 52, is in jail with a $325,000 bond.... more »

• Silence from the Livingston Parish sheriff after detectives botched sex crimes case involving Tiki Tubing owner Play Video

  May 26, 2022 6:51 PM

  LIVINGSTON - A woman is facing sexual battery charges, and the family of the victim has received only silence from the sheriff's office that admits it mishandled the case. Patricia Fore and John Fore, whose business— Tiki Tubing —shut down in the wake of their arrests for separate allegations... more »

• Sheriff: 17-year-old arrested, accused of raping child last year

  April 7, 2022 3:30 PM

  NAPOLEONVILLE - A 17-year-old was arrested this week for allegedly raping a child no more than 11 years old sometime last summer. The Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office told WBRZ the investigation into the incident started in February. The investigation revealed the victim was a young girl under 12 years... more »

• Police: Soldier allegedly raped LSU student after night of drunken partying

  March 25, 2022 9:58 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A U.S. Army soldier was taken into custody at a military base after he was accused of raping an LSU student at her dorm while she was drunk. The victim told the LSU Police Department that she first met 22-year-old Desmond Saine on March 13 at... more »

• Saints owner meets with embattled QB Deshaun Watson as trade talks ramp up

  March 17, 2022 12:28 PM

  UPDATE: Multiple reports say Deshaun Watson is expected to sign with the Cleveland Browns. Read the latest here . ------ NEW ORLEANS - The Saints have emerged as the runaway favorite to land star quarterback Deshaun Watson, who faces lawsuits from more than 20 women alleging sexual misconduct.... more »

• Saints among frontrunners in Deshaun Watson trade talks as lawsuits loom

  March 14, 2022 9:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Several reports suggest the Saints are making a strong offer to obtain Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was forced to sit out last season amid a flood of sexual misconduct allegations. The Saints and their NFC South rivals, the Carolina Panthers, are among the first... more »

• Former teacher Cynthia Perkins sentenced to 41 years without parole in child sex crimes case Play Video

  February 18, 2022 10:57 AM

  LIVINGSTON - Cynthia Perkins, a former teacher who pleaded guilty to her role in a disturbing child sex crimes case involving her ex-husband, will spend 41 years in prison without parole. Perkins rattled off a lengthy apology to the victims, as well as her friends and family, before... more »

• Hammond man allegedly tried to meet up with underage girls for sex, arrested in EBR

  February 10, 2022 2:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man was arrested in East Baton Rouge after he allegedly tried to set up a meeting with undercover agents posing as a pair of teenage girls. Arrest documents from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety described the alleged conversations between Allen Bordelon, 33, and who... more »

• Man allegedly paid $20 to have sex with 10-year-old girl

  December 10, 2021 12:19 PM

  HOUMA - A Louisiana man was arrested after he allegedly paid someone to arrange for sex with a 10-year-old girl. WWLTV reports the girl's family alerted the Houma Police Department after someone tipped them off about 31-year-old Jamil Washington's plan. According to the department, Washington paid an individual... more »