Man convicted of rape allegations involving teenage girl in 2022

COVINGTON, La. (WGNO) — A Slidell man has been convicted of rape following an investigation into a 2022 incident.

According to court documents filed with the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office, in May 2022, Tommy Adolph Cullotta, 56, and a 13-year-old girl spent days in a Covington hotel room .

It was noted that during his stay, Cullotta consumed large quantities of alcohol and began “behaving inappropriately towards the young woman on several occasions, making her uncomfortable.”

Court documents revealed the victim told Cullotta she felt uncomfortable, which sparked intermittent arguments. Documents state that during their last argument, “Cullotta forced the child to sit on one of the hotel beds and began sexually assaulting him.”

According to court documents, at the first opportunity, the teenager called her mother but did not tell her what had happened until a few days later.

The victim's mother alerted the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office of the crime and the teen was taken to the Audrey Hepburn Care Center at Children's Hospital of New Orleans for a forensic examination .

During an interview, the victim recounted both incidents, saying Cullotta “forcibly had sex with her against her will.”

Five months after the incident, according to court documents, Cullotta was located and arrested.

During the four-day trial, Cullotta said he remembered the hotel stay but denied drinking alcohol or assaulting the teen. After seven hours of deliberations spread over two days, the jury returned the guilty verdict.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 11. Cullotta faces up to 40 years in prison.

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