A New Orleans man, Jakiya Muller, was sentenced to 35 years in state prison after pleading guilty to first-degree rape in connection with two separate sexual assaults that occurred days apart in 2022. The sentence, handed down on October 30, 2025, carries no possibility of probation, parole, or suspension.
The case involved two women who were assaulted in unrelated incidents, each later identified Muller as the perpetrator. According to court documents, one of the assaults involved a knife and explicit threats of violence, while the other targeted a woman living with a speech and learning disability.
During sentencing, both survivors gave emotional impact statements describing the lasting effects of the attacks. One survivor spoke about living in constant fear and struggling to rebuild trust:
“This has left painful images in my mind. Every time I’m alone, I see his face and have to fight to think of something better. I’ve become scared to talk to men; it’s made me even more depressed. Whenever I see someone who looks like him, it all comes back. When I get home from work, I just want to sit alone in the dark for peace and quiet. This will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have to fight to be brave enough to go places by myself. I’ve learned my lesson; I don’t talk to strangers anymore.”
Another survivor described ongoing anxiety and the difficulty of coping with trauma:
“Some days I wake up and feel like I can finally breathe again, and then suddenly the memories hit me like a wave,” she said. “I may not be healed yet, but I’m healing.”
Prosecutors presented forensic evidence, cell phone data, and corroborating witness accounts linking Muller to both assaults. The investigation, which involved the New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police, confirmed that the same individual was responsible for each attack.
The prosecution team was led by Assistant District Attorney Meghan Falcon, who works within the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Unit, a division focused on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases, particularly those involving previously untested evidence.
The SAKI Unit was established to address a backlog of sexual assault kits and to strengthen coordination between law enforcement, prosecutors, and forensic specialists. Analysts from the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab verified key forensic links in the case, while Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) from LCMC provided crucial medical and evidentiary support.
Court records indicate that Muller had a prior conviction requiring him to register as a sex offender at the time of the new offenses.
Muller’s 35-year sentence concludes a case that underscored the ongoing impact of sexual violence in New Orleans and the need for trauma-informed support for survivors.
