District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington announced Oct. 11 the guilty pleas of defendant O’shay Hicks of Natchitoches for one count of forcible rape and two counts of second degree kidnapping. The case involved two Natchitoches Parish victims.

Hicks’ jury trial was scheduled to commence on October 9 in Division B of the 10th Judicial District Court in Natchitoches. However, just moments prior to jury selection, Hicks asked to change his plea to “guilty” for all of the charges scheduled for trial.

Harrington stated that the defendant pled guilty to all of the crimes that were set for trial. Judge Lala Sylvester, who presided over the case, ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be conducted by the State of Louisiana Probation and Parole.

Hicks is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 14. Harrington stated that Hicks could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison for the rape and up to 40 years in prison for each count of kidnapping.

The crimes occurred in July 2015 and were investigated by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and assisted by the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force.

“We thank the citizens of Natchitoches Parish for their ongoing assistance in speaking up and notifying law enforcement if they witness or are a victim of criminal activity in our parish. It is because of these citizens who want to continue to have safe communities that we can be successful in prosecuting criminal cases,” said Harrington.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney J. Chris Gulliet.