Westlake Man Extradited to Baton Rouge for Double Rape Charges
Westlake Resident Extradited on Multiple Rape Charges
Ethan Scott Hallman, a 20-year-old resident of Westlake, faces multiple charges including four counts of third-degree rape and two counts of sexual battery following a late September attack in Baton Rouge, kplctv.com reported. The case has drawn an in-state detainer and subsequent extradition from Calcasieu Parish to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, as investigators piece together an assault that allegedly unfolded inside an apartment after two 18-year-old women accepted a ride.
The sequence began on Sept. 26 at approximately 7:30 p.m. Near Burbank and Jennifer Jean drives in Baton Rouge, Hallman and an unidentified male accomplice approached two 18-year-old women while traveling in a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The two men offered the victims a ride. The women accepted, and Hallman drove them first to a bar and then to an apartment where one of them lived.
Escalation Inside the Residence
According to East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives, the situation escalated inside the residence. Hallman followed one of the women into her bedroom, pushed her to the ground, and raped her after she explicitly told him no. Meanwhile, the second woman reported that she and the accomplice engaged in consensual sexual activity, though she noted she was blacked out drunk at the time. Detectives stated that Hallman and the accomplice subsequently raped both women multiple times. The victims told investigators that the two men laughed and recorded video footage of the assault.
Doorbell Camera Captures Accomplice Fleeing
The attack shifted when the accomplice fled the scene, with a doorbell camera capturing him running away naked. Hallman continued the assault before growing angry when the victims refused to kiss and perform sexual acts on each other. He then left the apartment. Following the departure of the attackers, the victims called 911 and traveled to a local hospital. Medical professionals performed sexual-assault examinations, documenting physical trauma consistent with their accounts.
Victims and Police Track Suspect Using Footage and Social Media
Investigators utilized surveillance footage from the apartment property, which captured Hallman’s pickup truck entering the complex prior to the assault. The victims also investigated on their own, discovering Hallman’s first name on Instagram and subsequently picking his photograph out of a photographic lineup provided by law enforcement.
A Westlake man was arrested after he and an unknown accomplice were accused of raping two young women in a Baton Rouge apartment in September. https://t.co/nEJiOoUBMW
Arrest and Transfer to Baton Rouge
Calcasieu Parish jail records show that deputies arrested Hallman at his Westlake home on Oct. 25. He was held under an in-state detainer before being transferred on Oct. 31 to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Hallman declined to make a statement to deputies following his arrest, and his attorney stated she was unsure whether he should make a statement.
Statutory Penalties Under Louisiana Law
Under Louisiana state law, third-degree rape applies to sexual intercourse deemed to be without lawful consent under specific statutory circumstances. A conviction for sexual battery carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years, which may be imposed with or without hard labor and served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, according to statutory guidelines detailed by the Louisiana Legislature.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the second male suspect involved in the September incident. It remains unclear whether Hallman has formally entered a plea in the case or whether he remains incarcerated following his transfer to East Baton Rouge Parish.