District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington announced Oct. 11 the guilty pleas of defendant O’Shay Hicks of Natchitoches for one count of forcible rape and two counts of second degree kidnapping. The case involved two Natchitoches Parish victims.
Hicks’ jury trial was scheduled to commence Oct. 9 in Division B of the 10th Judicial District Court in Natchitoches. However, just moments prior to jury selection, Hicks asked to change his plea to “guilty” for all of the charges scheduled for trial.
Harrington stated that the defendant pled guilty to all of the crimes that were set for trial. Judge Lala Sylvester, who presided over the case, ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be conducted by the State of Louisiana Probation and Parole.
Hicks is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 14. Harrington stated that Hicks could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison for the rape and up to 40 years in prison for each count of kidnapping.
The crimes occurred in July 2015 and were investigated by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and assisted by the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force. “We thank the citizens of Natchitoches Parish for their ongoing assistance in speaking up and notifying law enforcement if they witness or are a victim of criminal activity in our parish. It is because of these citizens who want to continue to have safe communities that we can be successful in prosecuting criminal cases,” said Harrington.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney J. Chris Gulliet.
Following is the original story published in the Natchitoches Times July 16, 2015:
Man faces kidnapping, armed robbery and rape charges
A Natchitoches man on felony probation until 2020 was arrested in connection with the kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated rape of a 17-year-old Natchitoches teenager Wednesday, July 8 at 4:30p.m. Detectives along with the assistance of Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Registered Nurses interviewed the victim in the presence of a parent and collected forensic evidence.
Detectives photographed the crime scene in the Payne Subdivision and collected physical evidence for analysis.
Oshay Devan Hicks, 22, b/m, of the 100 block of Mary Drive, Payne Sub-Division, Natchitoches, was identified as a suspect. Deputies began searching areas in and around the area. At 8:30 p.m., Task Force Agents received information Hicks was hiding at a La. Hwy 6 East mobile home park and was attempting to flee the area. Deputies spotted the suspect vehicle on La. Hwy 6 East near Grand Ecore and stopped it after observing Hicks as a passenger.
Deputies say they took Hicks into custody armed with a 9-inch kitchen knife believed to be the same weapon used in the alleged offenses. Deputies say Hicks also refused to cooperate by showing his hand and failing to walk. He was handcuffed and carried to a patrol unit for transportation. Hicks was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with 1-count Probation Violation and 1-count Resisting Arrest. The investigation continued. On July 10 at 5:40 p.m., detectives also charged Hicks with 1-count Aggravated Rape, 2-counts Second Degree Kidnapping, 2-counts Armed Robbery and 1-count Illegal Carrying of Weapons. Hicks, who has seven prior bookings, remains in the NPDC without bond.
The victim was treated and released from Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. Her name is not being released.
Hicks allegedly confessed to detectives he told the victim if she told anyone he would do harm to her and family members. The case file will be completed and turned over to the Natchitoches District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Involved in the investigation and arrest were: Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Division, Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations and High Tech Crime Unit along with Natchitoches Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force agents.
