I-TEAM: Formal charges filed against man accused of rape

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Accused rapist Anthony Varnado is now formally charged with felony third degree rape after his arrest earlier in the summer on that same charge. The East Baton Rouge District Attorney filed a document called a bill of information Tuesday, August 8, which lays the groundwork for prosecutors to move forward with the case.

Varnado was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in June after a woman claimed she was taken advantage of by Varnado.

“I was drugged and raped and sent home in an Uber,” said Danielle Jones. “It hurt me that he would even do something like that to me.”

WAFB normally does not identify victims of rape, but Danielle Jones wanted to be identified. Jones alleges that Varnado took her to Southern University’s campus where he works as a custodian in May and then took advantage of her.

According to a campus directory listed on the Southern University website, Anthony Wayne Varnado is listed as a Maintenance Repairer with Residential Housing at the university. A spokesperson confirms Varnado is still employed with the school as of Wednesday, August 9. The spokesperson added that Varnado has been suspended with pay since July.