ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A man has been found guilty of all charges in the rape and kidnapping of a woman in South Whitehall in 2024.
Erik Contes, 43, raped a highly intoxicated woman along the side of the road after offering to drive her home from the bar, authorities say.
Contes, of Whitehall, was convicted by a jury of felony counts of rape, kidnapping to facilitate a felony and sexual assault, as well as a misdemeanor count of indecent assault, said the Lehigh County district attorney.
Man to face charges of rape, kidnapping in 2024 South Whitehall incident
He faces a possible sentence of 26-52 years in prison, and will be evaluated to see if he meets the criteria to be deemed a sexually violent predator, the DA said.
Sentencing is set for December 7, and Contes’ bail was increased to $150,000.
On June 2, 2024, just after 2:30 a.m., a South Whitehall officer spotted a car in the grass on the side of the road in the area of Wehr Mill and Old Sentry roads, the DA said.
Contes told the officer he had pulled over because a female passenger was vomiting inside the vehicle.
The victim said she was with Contes and others at a bar. Contes said he had offered to drive the woman home, but she had “fallen out” of the car and he was trying to get her back inside, authorities say.
The victim was highly intoxicated and needed medical attention. Officials also noticed Contes’ zipper was down, the DA says.
A witness from the bar said the victim’s home was not in the direction where the car had stopped.
At the hospital, the victim could not remember details of the incident, and doctors said she had scrapes on her body and grass and dirt inside of her clothing, the DA says.
The investigation showed the victim had been raped and sexually assaulted, and Contes’ DNA matched a profile from the exam, the DA says.
Contes was charged in 2025.