ST. FRANCISVILLE — Just days after a West Feliciana Parish Grand Jury indicted Jacob Mansell on one count of first-degree rape, Mansell has turned himself in to officials.
On Monday, Sept. 14, a West Feliciana Parish Grand Jury indicted the St. Francisville man on first-degree rape, which is an upgraded charge from when he was arrested in March. He was initially arrested on charges of sexual battery and second-degree rape charges involving a juvenile. He’s accused of sexually abusing a young teenager.
Mansell is booked in the West Feliciana Parish Detention Center. A judge set Mansell’s bond at $250,000, UWK confirmed.
Earlier this year, District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla told UWK that he planned to bring the matter before a grand jury in September and that he would push for Mansell to be indicted on first-degree rape, which carries a mandatory life sentence if he is convicted.
As part of his $195,000 bond in March, Mansell was initially ordered to have no contact with the victims. However, the District Attorney says that condition was lifted by Judge Sydney Picou Walker. Mansell’s attorney, Cy D’Aquila, argued that a child custody evaluator in the civil matter said in the judge’s chambers it was the worst case of parental alienation he had ever seen on the mother’s part and that was why Judge Walker lifted the bond condition.
The same day, Judge Kathryn Jones granted Mansell immediate sole custody of three juveniles in an ongoing civil matter involving his ex-wife. This was temporary until a judgment hearing in June. Mansell’s defense has maintained the sexual abuse allegations are false and were fabricated by the mother of Mansell’s children, who is an ongoing custody battle with Mansell.
In May, Mansell pleaded not guilty to the sexual charges against him. During his arraignment, Mansell requested a bench trial, meaning the case would be decided by a judge rather than a jury.
On May 11, D’Aquilla filed a motion to re-instate the original bond conditions for Mansell. The District Attorney also filed a motion for two judges to recuse themselves.
Later in May, a retired judge was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court and ultimately granted the motion to recuse both judges in the civil and criminal cases involving Mansell. A gag order was later granted, which stops all parties in the case from speaking to the media.
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