UPDATE: Court records showed the purse snatching charge against Bellazin was dropped in September of 2023.

BATON ROUGE - A man previously accused of raping a college student is now facing a purse snatching charge following a July incident. 

The incident happened on July 29 in the 4600 block of Burbank Drive. According to the victim, she was returning to a friend's apartment complex when she saw a blue Chrysler 200 pull in. As the victim passed the vehicle, a male suspect exited and approached her.

The suspect, later identified as 17-year-old Jacobi Bellazin, forcibly took the woman's purse. After the theft, Bellazin fled the scene.

A month later, the victim was walking in a Tigerland parking lot when she was once again approached by Bellazin. At the time, the victim said she didn't recognize him. Bellazin told the woman he was a 20-year-old student at Southern University and asked if she would follow him on social media.

The victim soon discovered Bellazin gave her a fake age and ended all communication with him.

On September 27, the victim saw Bellazin on the news being accused of raping an LSU student. That was when she learned his identity.

Bellazin was charged with one count of purse snatching.