A 49-year-old Baton Rouge man is behind bars, accused of raping a woman on the front porch of an apartment along Florida Boulevard while she was simply trying to feed a friend's cat. Matthew Thiel was arrested on Tuesday and now faces one count of forcible rape tied to an alleged attack from late August.
Pet-Sitting Visit Turns Violent
According to WBRZ, the woman had arrived at the Florida Boulevard apartment around noon on August 29 to pet-sit her friend's cat. She reportedly knew Thiel through a mutual friend. Per the arrest affidavit, Thiel allegedly attacked and raped her while she bent down to feed the animal.
Baton Rouge police took him into custody this week, and he now faces the single forcible rape charge stemming from the August incident.
What Louisiana Law Says About Related Charges
Louisiana law separately lays out penalties for second-degree rape. Under state statute 42.1, someone convicted of that offense must be imprisoned at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, for between five and forty years. It remains unclear how, or whether, that particular provision applies to the charge Thiel is now facing.
No further details about Thiel's plea, upcoming court dates, or any response from him or an attorney have been made available.
