A man was sentenced to 35 years in prison and chemical castration after pleading guilty to rape, sexual battery and child molestation charges, the district attorney’s office said.
Ryan Clark, 34, was sentenced Tuesday for one count of second-degree rape when the victim is prevented from resisting due to force or threats, two counts of molestation of a juvenile under 13 and one count of sexual battery, according to 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux.
Clark will serve the first 25 years of his sentence without benefits and receive credit for time served. In addition to avoiding contact with the victims and registering as a sex offender for life, Clark must forfeit parental rights to all children and submit to chemical castration upon release, according to the district attorney’s office.
Clark had pleaded guilty to the four felony charges earlier this month.
Authorities with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office first learned of Clark’s crimes in July 2020, when law enforcement was notified of indecent behavior between Clark and a minor by someone the victim had confided in, officials said. Clark’s behavior had taken place for more than a year, the victim told officials.
Later, the minor was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hammond and detailed the incidents.
Officials also discovered a possible second victim and later secured a warrant for Clark’s arrest on sexual battery and molestation of a juvenile. After more information came to light, Clark was charged with first-degree rape as well.
Clark was indicted in Feb. 2021 by a grand jury on first-degree rape when the victim is under 13, two counts of molestation of a juvenile and sexual battery. He took a plea to diminished charges on March 1.
Previously, Clark had been convicted of misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile for receiving oral sex in a public place from a minor, officials said. In that case, he was sentenced to 128 days in the parish jail in 2015.
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