A former Louisiana sheriff’s deputy who admitted in 2016 that he raped a girl drugged by serial rapist Darren Sharper – the ex-Nationwide Soccer League champion – has been transferred from federal jail to a midway home as he approaches the completion of his sentence.
On the fruits of what was as soon as a nationally distinguished felony case, Brandon Licciardi, 40, pleaded responsible in federal and state courthouses in New Orleans to aiding Sharper’s efforts throughout prior years to surreptitiously drug girls’s drinks with sedatives or anti-anxiety treatment in order to rape them.
Licciardi additionally acknowledged raping a girl whom Sharper had drugged and was subsequently sentenced to 17 years in federal jail.
Licciardi served time on the federal correctional establishment in Seagoville, Texas. And on 16 April, he was launched into the supervision of the Dallas residential re-entry administration workplace, the place he can be both underneath home arrest or residing in a midway home, a spokesperson for the US bureau of prisons instructed the Guardian.
The prisons bureau spokesperson declined further remark, citing privateness, security and safety causes. However info on the native intercourse offender registry listed Licciardi’s tackle as a midway home in New Orleans, which is simply about eight miles away from the St Bernard parish, Louisiana, sheriff’s workplace the place he used to park.
Licciardi’s place of employment was listed as a enterprise to which his father – who for years was a top-ranking St Bernard deputy – has ties.
Many individuals sentenced to federal jail can develop into eligible for launch after serving about 85% of their punishments, in line with authorities officers. These despatched to a midway home usually are required to discover a job and could also be allowed to drive or use a cellphone for employment functions. They usually also can get leisure passes or be moved to confinement in a non-public residence, all of that are clear indications that they’re nearly performed with their punishments.
A press release from Licciardi’s legal professional, Brian Capitelli, mentioned, “Brandon … has served his sentence and is trying to move forward with his life.” The date offered for his launch from the custody of the federal prisons bureau was 20 April 2026.
Licciardi was working an off-duty element when he met and befriended Sharper in 2010, the 12 months after the previous ballplayer had helped the New Orleans Saints win their first – and to this point solely – Tremendous Bowl championship.
In accordance with a abstract of the case towards him that prosecutors ready and he signed, Licciardi went to Sharper’s condominium in New Orleans in February 2013 to rape a girl who had been drugged by Sharper whereas she modeled at a celebration two days earlier than the Tremendous Bowl was performed within the metropolis that 12 months.
Licciardi then launched a girl he knew to Sharper in late 2013 and – the girl having been drugged – took her to a resort throughout the road from the previous NFL professional’s rental. Sharper raped her there, Licciardi indicated in court docket.
At a celebration three weeks later, Licciardi launched a good friend – a former Saints cheerleader – to Sharper, who quickly drugged that girl and raped her at his rental.
Sharper at his rental that evening additionally raped one other girl whom he had drugged. And the 2 girls additionally endured sexual batteries dedicated by a good friend of Sharper and acquaintance of Licciardi: Erik Nunez, then a steakhouse waiter and self-proclaimed occasion promoter.
The previous cheerleader quickly went to police and reported that she had been raped, resulting in Sharper’s arrest in Los Angeles in early 2014. Licciardi and Nunez, 38, had been arrested later and accused of attempting to hide incriminating textual content messages, pictures and movies.
In 2015, Sharper pleaded responsible or no contest in native courts in Louisiana, California, Nevada and Arizona to costs that he drugged and raped – or tried to rape – quite a few girls within the 4 states between August 2013 and his arrest. He additionally pleaded responsible in New Orleans’s federal courthouse to helming the drugging and rape conspiracy involving Licciardi and Nunez.
Sharper, 49, stays imprisoned on the federal correctional establishment in Elkton, Ohio. As of Tuesday, he had a launch date tentatively set for late December 2028. His attorneys extra not too long ago argued that he deserved to be re-evaluated for a launch previous to that date, sustaining partially that he had taken plenty of academic courses throughout his imprisonment and had confirmed himself to be “a model inmate”.
“He also serves as a tutor and has assisted countless adults in getting their” high-school equivalency diplomas, Sharper’s attorneys wrote in court docket.
Licciardi resigned from his deputy job in late 2014 earlier than pleading responsible. New Orleans’s Instances-Picayune newspaper reported that it took Louisiana’s police licensing board till its remaining assembly of 2023 to completely revoke the credentials permitting Licciardi to work as a regulation enforcement officer within the state.
Nunez was launched from jail in July 2023 and – as of Tuesday – was listed as working at a development firm whereas on energetic probation.
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Data and help for anybody affected by rape or sexual abuse points is out there from the next organizations. Within the US, Rainn provides help on 800-656-4673. Within the UK, Rape Disaster provides help on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, help is out there at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Different worldwide helplines might be discovered at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
