Reserve man sentenced to 18 years for sexual assault of a minor

Published 12:15 am Saturday, May 6, 2017

RESERVE — A Reserve man was sentenced to nearly two decades behind bars following the sexual assault of a minor in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Juandell Young, 35, pleaded guilty last month to sexual battery and failing to keep proper notification as a sex offender. He was sentenced to 18 years with the Department of Corrections.

Juandell Young

“The sexual battery was a very serious concern to us because it involved a minor,” St. John Parish District Attorney Bridget A. Dinvaut said. “Our victim was extremely cooperative. It was the main reason why we were able to prosecute this case and receive a conviction.”

The St. John Sheriff’s Office reported Young was a convicted sex offender living in Reserve when he was arrested in October 2014 during a scheduled meeting with sex offender deputies.

At the time, Sheriff Mike Tregre said the mother of an 8-year-old boy brought her son to the hospital for medical attention Oct. 13, 2014, and reported to a Sheriff’s Office deputy that Young had inappropriately touched her son.

Tregre said the victim’s version of events was consistent with collected evidence, and was confident there was a strong enough case against Young to lead to a conviction.