By Stephen Hemelt
L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE — A young woman, who authorities said was kidnaped and raped, survived the assault and helped implicate a LaPlace man in the brutal attack.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said in a release that Kevin N. Allen, 20, of 1504 Tiffany Drive in LaPlace, is being held under a $1 million bond for aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery by use of firearm.

Authorities said a 19-year-old female was walking Aug. 17 in the 700 block of North Villere Street in New Orleans when two subjects exited a vehicle that stopped beside her.

“Allen allegedly placed a towel over the victim’s face, and the second subject placed the victim in a choke hold and forced her into the vehicle,” Champagne said. “Allen produced a semi-automatic handgun, advising the victim he would shoot her if she screamed.”

The victim was then driven to a wooded area in Montz, authorities said, where she was “repeatedly raped.”

Her purse, cell phone, money and identification cards were stolen.

“The victim was then dropped off in Kenner, where she flagged down a citizen to notify the Sheriff’s Office,” Champagne said.

Authorities said the victim was treated and released from medical care following the assault and is not currently hospitalized.

Capt. Patrick Yoes said the victim originally thought she was assaulted in St. John the Baptist Parish, which led to that parish’s Sheriff’s Office beginning the investigation.

When investigators determined the reported crime occurred in St. Charles Parish, authorities from that Sheriff’s Office became involved.

“We identified a suspect, (and the victim) was able to pick him out of a photographic lineup, and he was subsequently arrested,” Yoes said, adding Allen was booked Saturday into Nelson Coleman Correctional Center in Killona.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies anticipate making additional arrests in the case, but Yoes said authorities could not provide additional suspect information at this time.