Lake Charles Man Arrested & Charged with 3rd Degree Rape

A Lake Charles man was arrested and charged back in February for 3rd-degree rape after the victim reported the incident three days prior. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a residence on Big Lake Road in Lake Charles on February 23, in regards to the incident where the victim explained to deputies that an unknown man "knocked her down and forcefully took her behind a dumpster in the RV park and raped her," said a CPSO media release.

The victim not only described the suspect to deputies, but she rode with them as they drove around to locate the suspect, John F. Nichols, 30, 8626 Big Lake Road, Lake Charles. He was at his residence in the same RV park where he allegedly raped the victim.

Nichols was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged on February 26, with 3rd-degree rape. He was released on March 5, on a $200,000 bond.