Derrick Lodge, 42, of Sunshine, Louisiana, has pled guilty to two counts of molestation of a juvenile under the age of 13, according to Ascension Parish authorities.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Lodge entered his guilty plea last week as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Adam Koenig and Lana Chaney, with the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau presiding.
He was sentenced to 25 years in the custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections, with credit for time already served. As part of his sentence, Lodge is required to register and notify authorities as a s*x offender or child predator for life.
Background of the Case
The guilty plea stems from a 2022 s**ual assault investigation. On June 25, 2022, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Detectives began investigating after receiving a report that a juvenile male had been s**ually assaulted.
Detectives gathered statements and other evidence consistent with the allegations. They determined that Lodge had engaged in inappropriate s**ual contact with the juvenile on multiple occasions. An arrest warrant was issued, and Lodge was taken into custody and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail.
Court Proceedings
The plea agreement allowed Lodge to enter a guilty plea to the two counts of molestation. Judge Tureau sentenced him to serve 25 years, with credit for time served, and ordered lifetime registration as a s*x offender.
