Demarcus Bradford, a man from Shreveport, pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in Caddo District Court on February 7, 2024. Bradford was charged with sexually assaulting his partner’s daughter. His plea came just before the jury selection, overseen by District Judge Michael Pitman.
The assault took place on February 22, 2021. Bradford broke into the victim’s apartment and threatened her with violence. A video showed a masked man, later identified as Bradford, leaving the scene. He returned unmasked to the apartment to console the victim and her mother.
Bradford, 32, was connected to the crime through DNA evidence. However, he maintained that the act was consensual. Assistant District Attorneys Sam Crichton and Christopher Bowman prosecuted the case, while Rickey Swift defended Bradford.
Judge Pitman plans to sentence Bradford to 15 years of hard labor on February 14, 2024. This allows the victim, who now lives out of state, to return to Shreveport for the sentencing. After his release, Bradford will have to register as a sex offender for life.