Katie 
Lafayette, Louisiana: Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell announced on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 that 35-year-old Eli Charpentier had been found guilty by a jury.
After deliberating, the jury returned a unanimous decision, convicting him on all charges.
Charpentier had been charged with pornography involving juveniles, indecent behavior with a juvenile and aggravated crime against nature.
When Charpentier is sentenced on June 16 at 1:30 pm by Judge Marla Abel, who presided over the trial, he faces no less than 25 years up to 99 years and a fine up to $50,000 on the charge of aggravated crime against nature, no less than 10 years and up to 40 years and an additional $50,000 fine for the charge of child pornography involving juveniles, and up to 25 years for indecent behavior with a juvenile.
The investigation into Charpentier began after a juvenile disclosed to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office Juvenile Detectives that he had abused them on multiple occasions.
Images were recovered from his possession that displayed not only the juvenile, but himself as well. In some of those images a distinctive tattoo was observed, which matched a tattoo on Charpentier.
"Since April is Child Abuse Awareness month," prosecutor Jason Chatagnier said in the press release, "I would like to takje this opportunity to highlight the amazing work that Forensic Interviewer Shannan Gros does at the Children's Advocacy Center of Lafourche. Without the hard work done at the center, we would not be able to hold child abusers like Eli Charpentier accountable for their crimes."
He continued saying, "It's important that the citizens of Lafourche parish continue supporting the center now more than ever. There are many children who need the services that the center provides. Our children must be protected, because without them we have no future."
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