LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 26, 2000

HAHNVILLE – An alleged rape victim is being sought by the St. CharlesParish Sheriff’s Office now that the man she identified to authorities was released Wednesday by court order.

Twenty-ninth Judicial District Judge Robert Chaisson released Austin Seals, 25, of New Orleans, on the eve of the day the grand jury was due to hear evidence against him toward an indictment.

Seals was charged on June 9 with picking up a woman, driving her to a remote location near St. Rose and raping her. The primary evidence againsthim is her identification, and without the testimony of the victim the case falls apart.

“We didn’t want to let him go,” said Assistant District Attorney Howat Peters Jr. “We still don’t know this isn’t the guy.”Chief Joseph Cardella of the sheriff’s office agreed. “I agree with the D.A.in this case. They did what they had to do.”The case gets more muddied by the fact that authorities in Kenner announced they had identified Leroy Perkins, 28, of Kenner, as their principal suspect in a series of somewhat similar rapes.

Perkins is still being sought for three rape incidents in St. John theBaptist Parish and three others in Jefferson Parish.

Cardella noted a number of differences between the incidents allegedly committed by Perkins and that allegedly involving Seals.

For one thing, Cardella said, the St. Charles victim was beeped by theperpetrator, meaning she had to earlier give him the number. Also, noweapon was used in the St. Charles case, while a gun was used in theothers.

Seals, according to Cardella, had access to a vehicle allegedly used by the perpetrator in the St. Charles case. Also, the St. John suspect reportedlyhad several gold teeth. Seals does not have gold teeth.”That’s been our whole effort to sort this out,” Cardella continued.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Perkins, who reportedly has family in the Cambridge area of LaPlace, is urged to call 652-6338.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the alleged rape victim in St. Charles Parish is urged to call Detective Chad Robicheaux at443-0334.

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