Plano, Texas Man Arrested Following Alleged Kidnapping and Attempted Rape of a Juvenile in Lafayette, Louisiana

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - Lafayette Police say they have arrested a Texas man who is accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a juvenile victim.

In a press release, officers say they responded to the call Wednesday, March 15 around 4:41 p.m. and went to the 1100 block of E. Vermilion Street. As you can see in the map below, that is an area very close in proximity to the Evangeline Thruway.

While Lafayette PD says they will not comment on specifics of the case "because of the sensitive nature of the incident" we do know the man - 21-year-old Malik Guillory - is from Plano. He currently sits in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a bond that has not yet been set at the time of this writing. Guillory's court date has been set for Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Guillory has been charged with Second Degree Kidnapping and Attempted First Degree Rape of a Juvenile. According to Louisiana law, the kidnapping charge carries with it a minimum five year sentence with at least two of those years being without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

Meanwhile, the attempted rape charge carries with it a much harsher sentence if Guillory is convicted. If the juvenile victim is 13-years-old or older, the charge Guillory faces could put him behind bars for life without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, according to Louisiana law. If the victim was under the age of 13-years-old, the district attorney could seek a capital verdict, allowing for the death penalty or life in prison.

This investigation is ongoing.