Louisiana man to be chemically castrated after juvenile rape conviction

TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. (WVUE) - A Louisiana man was sentenced to 35 years in prison and must undergo chemical castration after being convicted of raping a juvenile under the age of 13.

Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney Scott Perrilloux says Ryan Clark, 34, of Kentwood, pleaded guilty to felony charges of second-degree rape, molestation of a juvenile under 13, and sexual battery on March 1. He was sentenced on March 14.

The first 25 years of his sentence are to be served without the possibility of parole or benefits. He will receive credit for time served, must register as a sex offender for life, forfeit all parental rights to all children, and submit to chemical castration upon release.

He was sentenced by Judge Brian Ables.

The investigation began in July 2020 when deputies were notified of the incidents between Clark and a juvenile. A second possible victim was discovered. Details of the incidents were not disclosed by Perriloux’s office.

Chemical castration involves injections of medroxyprogesterone acetate, a drug that suppresses a man’s sex drive by reducing testosterone levels. It was made legal in Louisiana in 2008. Governor Bobby Jindal signed the bill, authored by Sen. Nick Gautreaux, into law to impose drug treatments on those found guilty of certain crimes: molestation of a juvenile, aggravated rape, forcible rape, second-degree sexual battery, aggravated incest, and aggravated crime against nature.

The injections are to be given at least a week before a convicted sex offender is released from prison.

In 2022, Sen. Regina Barrow proposed a bill to allow surgical castration of sex offenders convicted of sex crimes involving victims under the age of 13 but later shelved her proposal.

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