L’Observateur / June 10, 2000

HAHNVILLE – Convicted sex offender Darryl Picard withdrew a request to suspend the requirement that he place a notice in the newspaper identifying himself as such.

29th Judicial District Attorney Harry Morel reported that Picard pleaded guilty on March 27 of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Morel continued that prior to the plea, prosecutor Howat Peters was prepared to prove that Picard fondled a minor child on several occasions.

After the guilty plea, Judge Robert Chaisson sentenced him to a five-year suspended sentence. As a condition of sentencing, Picard was placed onfive years active probation.

The conditions of that probation included one year of house arrest, weekends spent in parish prison for the first six months of house arrest, continue in counseling and successfully complete that program, have no contact with any minor child unless in the presence of another adult, establish a $10,000 educational fund for the victim, pay for the victim’s counseling, if any, and comply with the state reporting requirements for sex offenders.

On April 25, Picard filed to have that final condition suspended, which was opposed by Morel’s office. Picard recently withdrew that motion.Morel commented, “We were pleased with the sentence as imposed by Judge Chaisson because it followed, almost to the letter, the recommendations of the victim’s mother.”Morel concluded, “We think that the reporting requirement was an integral part of that sentence and is necessary to inform the public of a potential danger.”Any violation of the probation conditions could result in serving the time in prison, with no possible parole, probation or suspension.

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