Girl Tells Police Carmel Teen Raped Her, Then Left Her

CARMEL, Ind. — A Carmel teen is facing a rape charge after a 17-year-old girl told police she was assaulted by him in a church parking lot and then left at a gas station.

Court documents show that police responded to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital for a reported case of sexual battery in April.

The teen girl said her and Ethan Lessig, 18, had interacted with each other on apps like Snapchat and Wizz. They then agreed to meet up on April 6 so they could hang out at Midtown in Carmel. The girl said instead, Lessig drove her to a fenced-in area in a church parking lot near Rangeline Road and City Center Drive.

According to the girl, Lessig forced himself on her in his truck and kissed her, which the girl was initially “okay with.” But then, she said he started grabbing her and pulling her hair before ordering her to get in the back of his truck which she did not want to do. The girl told investigators she still “mostly complied” with what Lessig wanted because he was her ride home.

Following the sexual encounter, the girl said Lessig drove her to a gas station and when she came back out, he was gone. Surveillance video confirmed that Lessig did stop at the gas station and then left after being there for less than five minutes, according to court documents.

A search warrant was then served by police at Lessig’s home on April 7. While being interviewed, he admitted to picking up the girl and driving her to a parking lot. He claimed the encounter was consensual and that the girl wanted to be left at the gas station because she was mad at him. He also “didn’t want to deal with her.”

Lessig faces a Level 3 felony charge of rape. A jury trial is scheduled for October.