KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A cook at a now-closed Powell restaurant has been found guilty of raping a co-worker after a party in August 2019. David Lyndell Cochran, 49, of Newport, was convicted of aggravated rape, two counts of rape and aggravated kidnapping on Wednesday.
According to the Knox County District Attorney’s office, the staff at Pero’s restaurant on East Emory Road in Powell was marking the closing of the restaurant. The staff was given access to the bar and the victim, a server at the restaurant, became intoxicated.
Cochran offered to take the victim home but instead took her to the Super 8 Motel and raped her.
“The next day, the victim felt pain and discomfort, but did not know what happened,” a release from the DA’s office states.
A sexual assault examination found Cochran’s DNA.
“This offender preyed upon a young woman when she was most vulnerable, but he has been held accountable thanks to the hard work of everyone involved in this case,” Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen said.
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Prosecutors plan to seek the maximum sentence, 37 years without the possibility of parole, during sentencing.
