Woodworth man accused in rape of minors receives bond reduction, released to go to teen rehabilitation center

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Rapides Parish Judge Greg Beard has ruled on several matters regarding bond set for Jacob Michot, 20, a Woodworth man accused of sexual assault and rape for incidents to have happened last year.

Michot is charged with five counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, one count of third-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape.

On June 14, Michot appeared in court for a motion filed by his attorney, George Higgins, to reduce his bond for the second-degree rape charge from his May 19 arrest.

He had previously been arrested two other times for other charges, which have been amended to five counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of third-degree rape. Central to the hearing were discrepancies around the bond Michot posted on those charges so far.

Michot’s first arrest was on Dec. 8, 2021, when he was accused of sexually assaulting minor victims at a sleepover of his younger sister in November 2021. Authorities had also said he bought and provided alcohol to them. He is accused of sexually assaulting one victim and raping another while she was passed out. He was released on a more than $100,000 bond and was ordered to not have contact with any of the victims.

Michot’s second arrest was on Jan. 20, 2022, after police received a report of another victim for a separate crime. That victim was 16 at the time and in an ongoing relationship with Michot. According to Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit Detective Canaan Baker, who testified in court, the victim had broken up with Michot prior to the November 2021 incident. However, they reconnected after he was released on bond following his December arrest.

Baker testified that in an interview with investigators, the victim said she felt the alleged sexual assault with the other victims to be her fault because she broke up with him.

Michot managed to post a $403,000 bond for that alleged incident. He was arraigned on the charges related to those three victims on May 19 and pleaded not guilty to all of them.

Michot’s third arrest happened on May 19, this time for second-degree rape in relation to a fourth victim, for an alleged incident that pre-dates the November 2021 sleepover incident. This case has not gone to a grand jury yet, so Michot has not been formally charged. However, he was in court on June 14 for that charge in an effort to reduce a $250,000 bond.

Higgins was arguing not only for a reduction of bond for the second-degree rape charge but also that Michot be placed on a detainer and allowed to undergo a year-long program with Teen Challenge in San Antonio, Texas.

Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Bowman argued that there was a clerical error in the bond for the first two alleged incidents, and Michot’s bond was really supposed to be $1.75 million. Higgins argued that Michot should not have to post more bond for charges he already bonded out for and that the bond resembles that of a serial killer. Bowman said it was an appropriate bond for a “serial sexual predator.”

In the end, Beard granted a reduction in the bond for the May 19 charge of second-degree rape, reducing it to $5,000, under conditions that if the bond were posted, he would need to be en route to Teen Challenge within 24 hours. Any violation of Teen Challenge conditions will be considered a violation of his bond, and the court will revoke all bonds.

Beard also ordered Michot be released on his own recognizance (ROR’d) for the $1.75 million bond, relating to bonds for the five counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of third-degree rape, saying he was making that decision as it pertained to the bond increase.

The state objected, saying that that decision can not be made for sexual assault or crime of violence cases.

Bowman said he is filing a notice of intent to seek a writ, which essentially means he is seeking an appellate review of Beard’s decision.

”The sheriff’s office is still investigating the matter, and we anticipate the possibility of there being more arrests in connection with that in this case,” said Phillip Terrell, Rapides Parish District Attorney. “Also, Mr. Michot was out on bond, was bonded out in December and was rearrested for crimes alleged to have been committed while he was out on bond. So, that is one of the reasons we are anxious to appeal the judge’s ruling in connection with this matter.”

The prosecution also mentioned in court that a fifth accuser has come forward, with claims for which Michot has not been arrested for, and it is still under investigation.

Michot posted the $5,000 bond shortly after the hearing, and he is no longer in RPSO custody.

Michot’s next hearing is set for August 22, 2022, at which time he will still be in the program with Teen Challenge.

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