Louisiana drug informant sues over rape during sting operation
Tori Richards
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A woman who was an informant to Louisiana law enforcement is alleging that she was allowed to be raped twice in order to secure drug buys for police, according to a lawsuit.
Deputies with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office in central Louisiana convinced the unnamed woman to work in a “stash house” and wear a body camera to record transactions as a means to work off a felony drug arrest. The camera did not operate in real time, so the woman said there was no police intervention to stop sexual attacks in January 2021, the Associated Press reported.
Lt. Mark Parker, who oversaw the operation until his retirement, said in an interview that informants were often sent into stings without any recording equipment. However, the assaults caused officials to start using real-time cameras.
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“We’ve always done it this way,” Parker said. “She was an addict, and we just used her as an informant like we’ve done a million times before. Looking back, it’s easy to say, ‘What if?’”
Deputies were waiting outside while the attack happened and even feared for the woman’s safety because the drug buy was taking too long.
One deputy, Cassie Jolene Saucier, even debated entering the home to check on the informant but ultimately decided against it.
The woman’s attacker, Antonio D. Jones, was charged with rape and the case went to trial in November 2022. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
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The lawsuit claims the woman suffered extreme emotional pain and distress over testifying in open court about her attack.