As part of a plea deal, a Louisiana man who groomed, raped and threatened a 14-year-old girl has agreed to serve a 50-year prison sentence and to be physically castrated. The most unusual part of the punishment is unlikely to happen, though, as the district attorney's office says the castration will not take place until he is about to be released: he'd be 104 years old. Louisiana recently abolished parole.
So many of these types of cases go unreported because of fear. The strength it must have taken for this young woman to tell the truth in the face of threats and adversity is truly incredible," Judicial District Attorney Scott M. Perrilloux said in the news release. A 2008 Louisiana law says that men convicted of certain rape offenses may be sentenced to chemical castration. They can also elect to be physically castrated. Perrilloux said that Sullivan's plea requires he be physically castrated. The process will be carried out by the state's Department of Corrections, according to the law, but cannot be conducted more than a week before a person's prison sentence ends. This means Sullivan wouldn't be castrated until a week before the end of his 50-year sentence — when he would be more than 100 years old.
The law, which is new, does not define physical castration. Surgical castration refers to the removal of gonads, but it's not as if the law has ever let itself be bound by the prerogatives of medicine or science.
A 54-year-old Springfield man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison and physical castration after pleading guilty to multiple counts of raping a juvenile.
21st Judicial District Attorney Scott M. Perrilloux reports that Glenn Sullivan, Sr., 54, of Springfield, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 17, to four counts of second degree rape.
The case stems from a July 2022 Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office investigation. A young woman told detectives that Sullivan had raped her multiple times when she was just 14-years-old. As a result, the juvenile became pregnant, and a DNA test that was ordered during the course of the criminal investigation proved Sullivan had impregnated her. Detectives also learned that Sullivan had groomed the victim and used threats of violence against her and her family to prevent the young woman from disclosing the rapes.
Perrilloux commended the work of Detective Ryan Bernard with the LPSO and Assistant District Attorney Brad J. Cascio, who prosecuted this case. He also applauded the young victim, who courageously came forward to file the charges.
"So many of these types of cases go unreported because of fear. The strength it must have taken for this young woman to tell the truth in the face of threats and adversity is truly incredible," Perrilloux said.
In addition to having to serve 50 years in prison, the plea requires Sullivan to be physically castrated, Perrilloux said.
"Sex crimes against juveniles are the most malicious crimes we prosecute. I intend on using every tool the legislature is willing to give us, including physical castration, to seek justice for the children in our community," Cascio said.
Judge William Dykes handed down the sentence.
