NEW ORLEANS –This month, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (OPDA) secured a 60-year prison sentence of defendant, Shonnon Esteen, for the rape of two minors. In June 2022, following a successful prosecution by Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Penny Kissinger accompanied by former Deputy Chief of Trials Lilian Hangartner, defendant Esteen was convicted of two counts of Second-Degree Rape and two counts of Sexual Battery of a child under 15 committed in Orleans Parish between 2006 to 2010.

“My office will always do everything in its power to ensure that we protect the children of New Orleans from anyone who seeks to harm our most innocent. A unanimous jury held Esteen accountable for his horrific crimes. Now, this sentence, handed down by Judge Simone Levine, punctuates the end of trial for Esteen’s despicable actions against children,” said District Attorney Jason Williams. “I commend the work of ADA Kissinger and Victim Advocate Jasmine Hillyer, who worked tirelessly to make sure victims were heard and zealously represented. We also extend our thanks to our partners at NOPD for quality investigation. Our deepest appreciation goes to the survivors and their families for their strength and bravery to come forward and participate in trial. We want all survivors of crime in our City to trust that the criminal legal system is here for them and to know that their participation is critical in our push to remove bad actors from our streets.”

SAKI Chief Mary Glass said, “The youth of our city deserve to be safe and should not have to live in fear. I am hopeful that this announcement provides the victims with closure and my thoughts will continue to be with them as they heal from this experience.”

To learn more about the work of OPDA, please visit orleansda.com.