La. trooper admits paying hotel clerk $200 for sex, records say

RAPID CITY, S.D. (WAFB) - A Louisiana state trooper’s admission that he paid a hotel front desk clerk $200 dollars for sex may have helped him dodge a rape charge while at an out-of-state conference, investigative records obtained by WAFB show.

The clerk denies that she accepted money for sex and instead claims she took the trooper’s money to keep him company in his room where they later had sex, the records reveal.

The Rapid City Police Department investigative reports paint a clearer picture of how veteran Louisiana State Police (LSP) Trooper Kirk Thibodeaux’s alleged sexual escapades unfolded while at a work-related conference in that South Dakota city last month. Additional reports were produced by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

RELATED: La. trooper placed on leave after sex-related arrest while attending out-of-state conference

According to the police reports, the hotel clerk originally lied to arresting officers by telling them Thibodeaux approached her for help with the air-conditioner in his room and to “just hang out for ten minutes.”

She shared an explicit retelling of what she claimed happened inside of the room which included Thibodeaux suddenly removing his clothing, allegedly squeezing her breasts, performing oral sex on her, and having intercourse with her. The woman told police Thibodeaux placed his forearm across her body to keep her down, documents show. The woman told police she was afraid to stop in case Thibodeaux became violent.

Police then questioned Thibodeaux, who “made a spontaneous utterance saying, ‘Did you check the female’s wallet? There should be 200 dollars in it,’” according to a police report. At the time, the clerk explained that she thought the money was a tip and not for any sexual favors.

While speaking with police again, Thibodeaux claimed the front desk clerk never asked him to stop during sex. He also said there was no way he would have been able to force the woman to have sex with him because she was a bigger person than him. He told police he remembered the woman saying she was married and felt guilty about having sex with him. He also told the arresting officers he at first thought they were just pretending to arrest him as part of a practical joke being played on him by friends from the conference.

A hotel surveillance camera shows Thibodaux handing the woman cash near the hotel’s elevator, investigators said. The two are not caught on camera discussing sexual favors.

Records show Thibodeaux was cooperative with officers and the investigation and was free to go.

In a second interview with the front desk clerk the next day, police found that she lied about going to Thibodeaux’s room to fix the air conditioner. The woman came clean to police that Thibodeaux paid her $200 dollars to go to his room and hang out. She told police she went because she felt Thibodeaux was a “lonely person and just wanted company in his room,” documents show. The woman further told police she was upfront with Thibodeaux not wanting to have sex with him because she was married and not a sex worker. Police said the woman agreed, however, that it was reasonable for Thibodeaux to assume he was paying her for consensual sex but felt her initial objection should have been enough to dissuade him.

A manager at the hotel told police that the woman’s actions were unusual and went against the hotel’s policies.

A day after the incident, Thibodeaux was arrested at the airport before he could return to Louisiana.

Thibodeaux has a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2, as he fights a misdemeanor charge of hiring for sexual activity. Documents show Thibodeaux retained an attorney in time for his initial appearance Wednesday, Oct. 5. That attorney did not respond to WAFB’s request for an interview.

A spokesman for Louisiana State Police said Thibodeaux remains on administrative leave. LSP officials also explained the trip was not paid for by the agency.

“The annual conference is required by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The cost associated with the conference is included in the federal grant and no cost to the agency,” officials said.

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