Patterson, Louisiana Man Gets 2 Life Sentences for Serial Child Sex Abuse

PATTERSON, La. (KPEL News) - A Patterson man has a double life sentence after being convicted as a serial sex offender in a case involving children.

The St. Mary Parish district attorney's office announced that, earlier this year, Arthur Donald Lacoste, 56, of Patterson, Louisiana, was convicted on multiple crimes stemming from deeply inappropriate sexual contact with a juvenile over the course of years.

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That conduct occurred until 2020, when the victim made a report to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and an investigation was launched. Eventually, an arrest warrant was obtained for Lacoste.

But Lacoste was already a registered sex offender, the District Attorney's office noted, which became a larger part of his trial.

"The maximum sentence for Sexual Battery is ten years at hard labor, without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence and the maximum sentence of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile is seven years at hard labor," the DA's office said in its statement. "However, Louisiana has special sentencing provisions for serial sexual offenders which require that serial sexual predators be sentenced to life imprisonment, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Lacoste is a registered sex offender."

According to the DA's office, Lacoste was convicted in 1998 of multiple counts of Molestation of a Juvenile and Sexual Battery involving more than one victim. Then, in 2004, he was convicted of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile.

The judge in the case, Keith Comeaux, found that Lacoste qualified a "serial sexual offender" and sentenced Lacoste to life imprisonment without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.

Lacoste was then sentenced to a second term of life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.

Judge Comeaux ordered that the sentences run concurrently.