A 20-year-old Westlake man has been extradited to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison to face charges that he and an unidentified accomplice raped two 18-year-old women after offering them a ride last month. Ethan Scott Hallman was arrested in Calcasieu Parish on Oct. 25 and now faces four counts of third-degree rape and two counts of sexual battery.
According to the arrest warrant, Hallman and the second man approached the two women near Burbank and Jennifer Jean drives in Baton Rouge around 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 26, as reported by The Advocate. The warrant states the two men asked the women if they wanted a ride, and that Hallman was traveling with the unknown accomplice in a Ford F-150 pickup truck at the time.
Women Say They Were Driven to an Apartment and Assaulted
Per the arrest affidavit, Hallman then drove the women to an apartment, where he allegedly raped both of them multiple times despite being told to stop several times. After the men left, the women called 911 to report the incident and later underwent sexual-assault examinations at a local hospital, the outlet's report notes.
Deputies said the victims had injuries consistent with sexual assault. The women's accounts reportedly helped investigators identify Hallman, and the victims went on to identify him in a photographic lineup. The same report states that surveillance footage allegedly showed Hallman's pickup truck entering the apartment property before the reported assault.
Booking Records Confirm In-State Detainer
A booking report from the Calcasieu Correctional Center, reviewed by kplctv.com, listed Ethan Scott Hallman, 20, of Westlake with an in-state detainer following his Oct. 25 arrest. Deputies say he was subsequently extradited to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Hallman reportedly did not make a statement to deputies, and the same account notes that his attorney said she was unsure whether he should make a statement.
What the Charges Mean Under Louisiana Law
Under Louisiana law, third-degree rape is defined as sexual intercourse deemed to be without the victim's lawful consent under one or more specified statutory circumstances, according to the Louisiana Legislature. A conviction on the separate sexual battery charges Hallman faces can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years, with or without hard labor, served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence, per the Louisiana Legislature.
The identity of the second man allegedly involved in the attack has not been made public. It remains unclear whether Hallman has entered a plea or whether he remains in custody following his extradition to Baton Rouge.
