St. Martinville Man Arrested on Multiple Third-Degree Rape Charges

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office responded on Monday, August 4, 2025, to a report of a suspected sexual assault in St. Martin Parish. According to Sheriff Becket Breaux, deputies immediately initiated an investigation, ultimately securing an arrest warrant for Wade Devillier, age 36, of St. Martinville.

Suspect Charged with Three Felony Counts

Devillier has been arrested and booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, charged with three counts of third-degree rape under Louisiana statute (LA R.S. 14:43). At this time no bond has been set.

Understanding Third-Degree Rape in Louisiana

Under Louisiana law, third-degree rape is defined as anal, oral, or vaginal sexual intercourse without lawful consent of the victim, when it occurs under one or more of the following conditions:

• The victim is incapable of resisting or of understanding the nature of the act due to stupor or an abnormal condition of mind produced by an intoxicating agent (or other cause), and the offender knew or should have known of that incapacity.
• The victim, through unsoundness of mind, is temporarily or permanently incapable of understanding the nature of the act, and the offender knew or should have known of that incapacity. 
• The victim submits under the belief that the person committing the act is someone known to the victim (other than the offender), and that belief is intentionally induced by artifice, pretense or concealment by the offender.
• The act is without the consent of the victim. 

The statute further stipulates that for an offense committed on or after August 1, 2015, the term “third-degree rape” is used (previously “simple rape”).

Serious Penalty, Lifetime Sex Offender Registration

A conviction under LA R.S. 14:43 carries a penalty of up to 25 years at hard labor, with no benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. 

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Additionally, this offense is considered a “Tier III Offense” under the state sex-offender registration rules, which typically means lifetime registration and periodic reporting.

What’s Next

The investigation remains active. The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with additional information to contact their tip line. As the legal process unfolds, further details, such as whether Devillier has entered a plea or if bond is set, will be provided when available.