An Arkansas man was formally charged Thursday (May 16) with using a weapon—"a sword sheathed inside a walking cane”—in raping a woman inside of a Central Business District hotel room this spring, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Yohon Vernon, 44, is accused of first-degree rape in the attack, which occurred in March at a hotel in the 500 block of St. Charles Avenue, according to an NOPD database available to the public.
Vernon was arrested March 2, the same day the 23-year-old victim reported to police that she had been raped by him inside of her hotel room, the DA’s office said in a news release.
Vernon was booked with second-degree rape and indicted on that charge April 26.
However, upon further investigation, prosecutors learned that Vernon had used a weapon during the attack, leading a grand jury to indict Vernon on the more severe charge of first-degree rape.
Vernon has been appointed representation by the Orleans Public Defenders Office, court records show.
He remained in the Orleans Justice Center jail Thursday with his bond set at $100,000.
New Orleans grand juries also handed up indictments in two murder cases Thursday.
A grand jury charged Michael Roberts Jr., 27, with second-degree murder in the late January shooting death of 29-year-old Lawrence Varnado at an Algiers apartment complex.
The two-count indictment also accuses Roberts of obstructing justice in a homicide investigation.
Officers responding to reports of gunfire mid-day Jan. 27 found Varnado fatally shot in a backyard in the 1100 block of Verret Street, according to the NOPD.
Roberts, who lived in the same apartment building as Varnado, was arrested less than a day after the shooting.
In a separate case, 26-year-old Quintel Morgan was charged with second-degree murder in February’s fatal shooting of 20-year-old Jawan Bradley.
Morgan also was charged with obstruction of justice in a homicide investigation and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Bradley's death in the Pines Village area of New Orleans East.
Police found Bradley fatally shot in the head about 6:21 p.m. Feb. 26 near the intersection of East Filmore Avenue and Piper Lane, police said. Morgan was arrested the following day on drug charges and then booked March 12 in the murder.
In connection with his February arrest, Morgan was indicted on a second count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and single counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and Tramadol.
Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
via nola.comhttps://www.nola.com
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