Former Shreveport City Official Convicted Of Rape Denied Parole

SHREVEPORT, LA - A crime that happened shortly after the Independence Bowl in 2010 shook this community and shined a spotlight on abuse of power. A high ranking city official was arrested for raping a teenage girl after the game.

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We learned that a then 43-year-old Rick Seaton who was the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the city of Shreveport was accused of raping an 18-year-old girl in the Mayor's Office at Government Plaza. Seaton was found guilty of rape and abuse of power. He was sentenced to 15 years on the rape charge and three for abuse of office.

Seaton went before the Parole Board this week to ask that he be released.

During his testimony from David Wade Correctional Center, Seaton told the panel:

"I am a minimum security inmate. I have had zero writeups while I have been in prison. I have served 85% of my sentence. I have taken every class and taught several classes. I look forward to being a productive member of society. I have been blessed with family and friends who have supported me. I have grown a lot in the past 13 or 14 years. I am a better man than I was."

But Seaton did not acknowledge the victim or apologize for his crimes during his opening remarks.

His two sons Luke and Isaac Seaton testified on his behalf. Luke saying his Father has a plan in place to move to Michigan to live with him. Luke Seaton told the board

"I plan to support him financially, mentally and emotionally as he reenters society here in Lansing, Michigan"

But the victim's Mother Kim Schoolcraft testified before the Board in her effort to keep Seaton behind bars. She told the panel Kaitlyn Winstel died in a fatal car accident in 2014 when she was just 21. Schoolcraft told the board In Seaton’s opening remarks, he did not say he was sorry for his crime. He did not express remorse for his crime.

Schoolcraft also told the Board:

"He totally abused his power. He took my daughter into the Mayor’s office and in his office he had a little box of sex toys, so my daughter was not the first one he abused."

She continued:

He sounds like a narcissist. All he talked about was himself. He has two sons he can build a life with but my daughter is gone. She was only 18 when he committed this act. He could have gotten 45 years, but he did not. If he is a Christian he should be remorseful, humble himself and admit to his crime.

Leone Fitzgerald Victim’s Assistance Director with the Caddo District Attorney’s Office also testified on behalf of the state.

"This started at our Independence Bowl. This was the big headline after our event. He disgraced our entire city. Sex predators are cunning and manipulative in how they prey on people. Kaitlyn was traumatized and he did not mention her at all in his remarks to this Board."

Fitzgerald told the Parole Board Kaityln was was a drunk high school senior who just turned 18 and he completely took advantage of. All she was trying to do was get her boyfriend out of jail.

"He was one of our highest city officials and he had a job to do at the Independence Bowl, but he abused his power. This 43-year-old went on to the bus and let her think he was a police officer. He lured her by saying he could help her get her boyfriend out of jail. He took her on a golf cart and then into his city vehicle. He took her to Government Plaza and he took her up to his office where they were completely alone. He asked her if she’d ever seen a real Mayor’s Office."

Before the hearing ended, Seaton did make these comments:

"I did make mistakes that night. I committed adultery and that was wrong. I had sex in the work place and that was wrong. I was out messing around and I should have been at home with my family and that was wrong. So, I definitely made mistakes that evening."

But Seaton did not admit to raping the young woman.

The panel voted 3-0 to deny parole for Seaton.

Parole Board Member Steve Prator told Seaton if he gets another hearing sometime in the future, he needs to acknowledge what this young woman went through.