a man indicted and imprisoned, suspected of 11 rapes

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of rape of 11 victims, franceinfo learned on Wednesday February 8 from a source close to the investigation. The individual is charged and taken into custody.

A 15-year-old young woman filed a complaint with the Lyon police station in November 2021. She claims to have been raped the previous month, in October, in a hotel located in Lyon. According to her, she went to this hotel under duress. The suspect she was to join, threatened to release photos of her, naked, that she had sent him. The two got in touch via social media.

Still according to the young woman, the man forced her to have sex by threatening to release the photos if she refused.

The suspect was finally arrested on Monday and taken into custody. During his hearing, he admitted to having put pressure on the young woman but denied having forced her to have sex. He was finally brought before the public prosecutor’s office on Tuesday before being indicted for “rape” and imprisoned.

11 victims identified

The investigations and the exploitation of his telephone made it possible to reveal that he had committed other similar acts. Investigators have identified 11 victims so far. These are minors or young women, contacted on dating sites or social networks. Each time, the man managed to have sex, in exchange for not distributing the photos obtained. Several have filed complaints for acts committed in Saint-Étienne and Lyon.

The man admits having behaved disrespectfully towards women because of a difficult breakup but denies the rapes. The departmental security of the Loire is in charge of the investigation.