Court docs: Carmel teen ditched girl at gas station after raping her

CARMEL, Ind. - A Carmel teen is accused of dumping a 17-year-old girl at a gas station after raping her in a church parking lot.




Ethan Lessig, 18, is charged with one count of rape, a Level 3 felony, in connection with the April 2025 case.

According to the probable cause affidavit, police were called to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital to investigate a reported case of sexual battery involving a 17-year-old girl.




The teen said she interacted with Lessig online via apps like Snapchat and Wizz. The two agreed to meet up on April 6 so they could hang out at Midtown in Carmel. Instead, he drove her to a fenced-in area in a church parking lot near Rangeline Road and City Center Drive.




Lessig kissed her, which she said was initially "okay with," according to court documents. By her account, he then started to grab her and pull her by her hair before ordering her to the back of the truck. She didn't initially want to do that, but eventually got into the back seat where she said Lessig forced himself on her.




She attempted to scratch him with her nails, according to court documents. During the encounter, she said he "placed his right hand around her throat and applied pressure," leading her to feel lightheaded.




The teen said she "mostly complied" with Lessig because she was in an unfamiliar area and he was her ride back home. After the sexual encounter, Lessig drove the teen to a gas station and told her to clean herself up. When she came back out, he and his truck were gone.




Surveillance video showed Lessig spent less than four minutes at the gas station.




A good Samaritan offered the teen a ride home.




The girl initially couldn't pick Lessig out of a photo array, according to court documents. She was, however, able to show investigators a picture of him from her phone.




Police served a search warrant at Lessig's home on April 7. During an interview, he acknowledged he picked up the girl and drove her to a parking lot. He said the encounter was consensual and claimed the teen told him to leave her at the gas station because she was mad at him.




Later in the interview, Lessig said he left her at the gas station because he "didn't want to deal with her," according to court documents. He told investigators his goal was "just to have sex and be done," but the girl didn't know his intentions when they met up.




After the encounter, he went to McDonald's and got a Dr. Pepper. He then went back home and ate pizza with his father, according to court documents.




Lessig told police he picked the church parking lot because of the fenced-in area, which would provide privacy and seclusion. He was familiar with the area because he'd played rugby there.




A forensic analysis of Lessig's phone showed he texted a friend and admitted he'd left the girl at the gas station.




"While she was inside, I drove off," the message said, according to court documents. Lessig also texted his friend that he "did a bad thing."




According to court records, a jury trial is scheduled for October.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/court-docs-carmel-teen-ditched-girl-at-gas-station-after-raping-her/