August 25, 2026

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams announced that the Office’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Unit secured guilty pleas and a 30-year prison sentence in a child sexual abuse case involving three survivors who were children when the offenses occurred.

The defendant’s name is being withheld to protect the identities and privacy of the survivors and their families.

On Monday, August 24, 2026, Judge Camille Buras sentenced the defendant in Section H of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. The defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree rape, four counts of sexual battery involving a victim under the age of 13, and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile involving a victim under the age of 13.

Judge Buras imposed a sentence of 30 years on each second-degree rape count and each sexual battery count. The defendant also received the statutory maximum sentence of 25 years on each count of indecent behavior with a juvenile. All sentences will run concurrently, resulting in a total sentence of 30 years in state prison. Following his release, the defendant will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

“This outcome represents accountability for three courageous survivors and protection for other children in our community,” said District Attorney Jason Williams. “Protecting our children is among the highest responsibilities of this office. Every conviction secured against a child sex offender sends a clear message that survivors will be heard, their cases will be pursued, and those who prey on children will be held accountable.”

The prosecution arose from two reports of child sexual abuse involving three survivors.

The first report was made in October 2022 and concerned offenses committed between February and October of that year. The survivor was eight years old when she reported that her mother’s boyfriend had been touching her at night. NOPD Detective Irael Balderas conducted the initial investigation, which remained unresolved at that time.

The second report was made in 2024 and concerned offenses committed between January 2019 and December 2020. Two sisters disclosed that the defendant, who had been their mother’s boyfriend, separately subjected each of them to sexual acts. The girls were 10 and 11 years old when the abuse occurred and were 15 and 16 when they disclosed it.

After the sisters came forward, NOPD Sergeant Jesse Roger assumed responsibility for the investigation. Through careful review and persistent follow up, Sergeant Roger connected the defendant to both cases.

The investigation revealed a calculated pattern in which the defendant entered relationships with single mothers, gained access to their homes and children, and sexually abused three young girls.

A grand jury indicted the defendant on August 29, 2024, on four counts of first-degree rape, four counts of sexual battery involving a victim under 13, and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile involving a victim under 13. The guilty pleas resolved the prosecution nearly four years after the first survivor’s report.

During sentencing, the survivors’ mothers described how the defendant’s actions continue to affect their daughters.

One mother told the court that her daughter, who was eight when she was assaulted, continues to experience nightmares. She expressed hope that the sentence would ensure the defendant could never harm another child.

The mother of the two sisters described how the abuse changed both girls’ sense of safety. Although they continue to carry the effects of what happened, she said they are working to move forward and grow beyond the harm the defendant caused.

Both families expressed hope that the sentence would prevent the defendant from taking another child’s innocence and childhood.

“This result would not have been possible without the continued participation of those harmed most by this predator,” said Assistant District Attorney Kristen Butler. “I am profoundly proud of these survivors and their families for remaining engaged throughout this prosecution. Their courage allowed us to hold this offender accountable and protect other children.”

“Cases involving the sexual abuse of children are extraordinarily difficult, but when a predator preys on children, we will fight and fight hard to ensure that offender is held accountable,” said SAKI Unit Chief Mary Glass. “We want every survivor and every family to know that we will stand with them throughout this process. The strength of these girls and their families made this result possible.”

District Attorney Williams also recognized the coordinated work of the agencies and professionals who helped bring the case to a resolution.

“I am proud of the passion, persistence, and coordinated efforts of our SAKI team, the New Orleans Police Department, the Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s Hospital New Orleans, and the Louisiana State Police,” Williams said. “Their work demonstrates what can be accomplished when prosecutors, investigators, medical professionals, advocates, survivors, and families stand together. We will continue to pursue sexual predators and protect the children of New Orleans.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kristen Butler, SAKI Deputy Chief Penny Kissinger, and SAKI Unit Chief Mary Glass, with support from Victim Witness Advocate Janetta Gee.

The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding sexual offenders accountable while ensuring survivors and their families are supported, heard, and treated with dignity throughout every stage of the criminal justice process.

Anyone who suspects that a child in Louisiana is being abused or neglected may contact the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-855-4LA-KIDS or 1-855-452-5437. The confidential hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office
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