New rape charge filed against Will Hayden, ex-star of now-cancelled reality TV show

BATON ROUGE, La. – New rape charges were filed Monday against Will Hayden, former star of the reality TV show, “Sons of Guns.”

The sheriff’s office in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, said they’ve charged Hayden with forcible rape after a woman reported Hayden raped her 22 years ago.

Deputies said the woman was 12 at the time of alleged attack, which happened while she was staying with Hayden and his family after her family was displaced by a house fire.

Hayden, 49, was initially booked Aug. 8 with child molestation. He posted $150,000 bond but was re-arrested Aug. 26 for aggravated rape against the same victim. He was being held with bond set at $250,000 bond when the new forcible rape charges were filed. Bail on the new charge hasn’t been set.

It was not immediately clear whether Hayden has an attorney.

According to an affidavit seeking an arrest warrant, the latest alleged victim, now 34, tells authorities when she was 12 Hayden asked her if she “wanted to get high” and she said yes.

After smoking marijuana, her account in the affidavit continues, Hayden placed his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming and lay on top of her. It says he then removed her pajama bottoms and panties and raped her.

Afterward, Hayden told her not to tell anyone what happened, she told investigators. She said she was reluctant to come forward because she did not know if her family would believe her. “However, approximately four years ago she told her husband that she was raped by the defendant when she was 12 years old. Detectives were able to confirm this after an interview with him,” the affidavit states.

The Discovery Channel cancelled “Sons of Guns” after Hayden’s Aug. 26 arrest.

“Sons of Guns” began airing in 2011 and followed Hayden’s family-owned custom firearms business. Episodes often showed Hayden and his adult daughter, Stephanie, helping customers find weapons, including rifles. Other scenes showed the process of making the guns, images from firing ranges, and ammunition tips.