EDGARD — Nonconsensual touching, inappropriate text messages and other examples of Judge E. Jeffrey Perilloux’s alleged indecent contact with minors were included in documentation filed at the Edgard Courthouse Wednesday morning.

Prosecutors with Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office, led by attorney Matthew B. Derbes, seek to prove Perilloux had “motive and intent” to gratify his sexual desire when he gave massages and rubbed sunscreen and medicinal lotion near the breasts and other body parts of teenage girls in his St. John Parish home.

Discovery of evidence, originally scheduled for this week, has been postponed to 10 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Edgard Courthouse.

Availability of one of the case’s leading investigators, who is recuperating from surgery, influenced the decision to reschedule, according to Derbes.

The prosecution and defense, led by Attorney David Courcelle, convened in Edgard with Judge Dennis Waldron Wednesday morning to set two hearing dates, which also includes an “in camera” court session at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 23 in LaPlace.

Derbes said he expects a trial date announcement will follow the Oct. 23 hearing, which will be closed to the public to protect the identity of the young, alleged victims.

On Wednesday, Perilloux sat quietly beside the defense, dressed in a dark blue suit and a red tie as Waldron signed subpoenas for two sets of records from the Department of Children & Family Services to be returned Oct. 23.

According to Waldron, evidence that could identify the minors involved in the case is to remain under seal.

“Attorneys confirmed with the court and agreed to protect the identity of the young ladies, who will be referred to by initials as in the indictment,” Waldron said.

Subpoenaed records from the Department of Children & Family Services involve two alleged victims, and, according to Courcelle, include one victim’s allegations against her own father.

Courcelle confirmed in court that the defense received the state’s discovery materials and seeks to obtain more documentation, including counseling and drug test records of the alleged victims and orders of denial that followed search warrant applications for Perilloux’s home, cell phone and iCloud account.

During the proceedings, Courcelle said Perilloux passed a polygraph test, a comment Derbes immediately claimed inadmissible.

Derbes intends to make a motion for Perilloux to undergo an additional polygraph test sanctioned by Louisiana State Police.

Following July’s arraignment Courcelle said Perilloux continues to maintain he has done nothing wrong.

“He is confident that by the end of this case, he will be cleared of all charges,” Courcelle said.

When asked for comment Wednesday morning, Courcelle said he is reserving his comments for the courtroom.

In previous comments to L’OBSERVATEUR, Perilloux has maintained his innocence.

Allegations

A grand jury returned a four-count true bill indictment June 25, charging Perilloux with three felony counts of indecent behavior and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.

Perilloux pleaded not guilty to all counts, which were based upon several incidents that allegedly occurred between May and December 2017.

The three felony counts involve contact with 14, 15 and 16 year old children, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

The misdemeanor sexual battery charge involves a December 2017 incident with an alleged victim, 18 years old at the time.

During a sleepover with Perilloux’s teenage daughter, the 18-year-old claimed she was not feeling well. Perilloux opted to apply vapor rub to the victim, allegedly reaching under her shirt while she was wearing no bra and touching the sides of her breasts as he applied the medicine.

According to the A.G.’s office, the incident made the victim “uncomfortable,” and she “slept with a locked door that night.”

The Louisiana prosecution contends the vapor rub incident took place after Florida authorities confronted Perilloux about inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old girl during a June 2017 vacation.

The 15-year-old and Perilloux’s daughter allegedly approached Perilloux as he was lying in the bedroom of a vacation condo to ask about a curfew extension. According to the prosecution, once Perilloux’s daughter left the room, Perilloux placed his hand under the minor’s T-shirt and slipped his fingers into her bikini bottom.

Perilloux told police he might have touched her when reaching over for his phone on the nightstand of the darkened room.

The minor was said to have been visibly upset and crying when she left the room and contacted her parents to pick her up the next day.

In separate incidents reported to have occurred between May and June of 2017, Perilloux was said to have given an alleged victim two massages, at one point “stroking her breasts for nearly 30 seconds.”

Perilloux was also said to have rubbed sunscreen near the breasts of a different victim when she and Perilloux’s daughter were outside playing on a slip and slide.

The prosecution claims Perilloux sent inappropriate text messages with two minors, which included a photo taken from underneath while one of the minors was walking up stairs, followed by a photo of Perilloux’s naked legs from the thighs down and three red heart emojis.

During the Nov. 13 hearing, the prosecution intends to present evidence of “other crimes, wrongs or acts,” including a claim that Perilloux purchased alcohol for minors while vacationing in Florida.

History

Perilloux has been on leave from the bench since voluntarily stepping down May 16 following published accounts of multiple criminal investigations into his behavior with underage females.

Judge Robert Klees was appointed pro tempore and is handling the duties of the 40th Judicial District Court Division B during Perilloux’s leave.

Perilloux was elected judge in December 2016 and began serving the following month following an election to fill the unexpired term of departing Judge Mary Hotard Becnel.

The 40th Judicial District Court covers St. John Parish and is divided into three divisions. The general jurisdiction court hears civil, criminal, traffic, juvenile, family and probate matters.

Perilloux previously served for a dozen years as an assistant district attorney in St. John Parish. He was also a legal counsel representative for St. John the Baptist Parish Government.

Perilloux was arrested in 2010 for drunken driving, an arrest that included dash-cam footage of Perilloux telling State Police “I am the parish attorney. I’m not some lowlife.”

The DWI charge was expunged, and prosecutors did not pursue additional charges.