NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Darren Sharper and two others were indicted today in New Orleans rape cases. It’s the latest round of charges for the troubled former Saints safety.
WGNO News Reporter Darian Trotter has details and reaction from sports fans.
Darren Sharper faces new charges.
The former Saints safety was indicted Friday by a grand jury on two counts of aggravated rape.
It’s been a topic of discussion among fans at the Louisiana High School Football Championships underway at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.
“It’ll probably be talked about for a while. It’s not going to die down. You know, he played in New Orleans, this is New Orleans,” Ashton Nelson said.
Sharper is accused of sexually assaulting two impaired women at his downtown luxury apartment September 23, 2013. He was also charged with simple rape of a different woman in August 31, 2013.
And that’s not all. Sharper’s acquaintance, Erik Nunez, was also indicted on two counts of aggravated rape for his alleged role.
It piles onto prior charges. Sharper is currently being held in Los Angeles for allegedly drugging and raping two women there, and he’s been indicted on similar charges in Arizona.
“It’s a sad situation because we use athletes to provide role models to our youngsters,” Robert Valdez said.
Robert Valdez is athletic director at West St. John High School.
“And this is something that puts a black eye on athletes, but it’s a teachable moment that, therefore, our youngsters can learn from it,” he said.
And that’s how sports fan Nick Bertrand sees it.
“You just got to realize people look up to you and you can’t be going around putting yourself in those kinds of situations,” Bertrand said.
Both Sharper and Nunez are accused of having sex with two passed out women without their knowledge or consent.
“If all the evidence proves that this happened it has to be handled swiftly and it has to be handled with a direct message to make sure that we educate everyone to make sure this is not going to be tolerated,” Valdez said.
If convicted in Louisiana Sharper and Nunez could each be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Meanwhile, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s deputy and friend of Sharper, Brandon Licciardi, was indicted on a charge of aggravated rape and three counts of human trafficking for the purpose of providing sexual conduct. He has resigned from his position at the Sheriff’s Office.
