A Louisiana man has been ordered to undergo chemical castration at the end of a lengthy prison sentence for raping an individual younger than the age of 13.
Ryan Clark, 34, was sentenced to up to 35 years in prison. For the first 25 years, he will not be eligible for parole, according to WBRZ-TV.
Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney Scott Perrilloux said Clark pleaded guilty to felony charges of second-degree rape, molestation of a juvenile under 13, and sexual battery on March 1 and was sentenced Tuesday, according to WVUE-TV.
Other conditions of the sentence are that when released, Clark must register as a sex offender for life and forfeit parental rights to any and all children.
Clark was previously convicted of misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile for inappropriate sexual contact with a minor, according to WAFB-TV.
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In that case, he served 128 days in jail.
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office was informed about allegations against Clark in July 2020, according to The Advocate.
At that time, a person in whom the victim had confided said that indecent behavior between Clark and a minor had been in existence for more than a year.
Ryan Clark pleaded guilty to rape, molestation and sexual battery. He was also sentenced to 35 years in prison.https://t.co/u9UEsnBNpZ
— KOLDNews (@KOLDNews) March 16, 2023
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The minor was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hammond, Louisiana, and told investigators what had taken place. Officials did not share details of the allegations against Clark.
According to WVUE, chemical castration involves injections of medroxyprogesterone acetate — a drug made to reduce testosterone levels. The procedure has been legal in Louisiana since 2008.
Injections are given at least a week before an inmate leaves prison.
New Mexico is considering a law to allow chemical castration, according to KRQE-TV.
The New Mexico bill would require a sex offender who wants to be paroled to agree to take the chemicals beginning a month before release and as long post-release as a court requires.
As proposed, offenders would pay for the treatment.
“There’s no cure for pedophiles. There’s no treatment plan. I wanted to make a condition of release for pedophiles that they have to have this,”said Republican New Mexico state Rep. Stefani Lord, a sponsor of the legislation.
“They call it chemical castration, that’s basically Depo-Provera [a hormonal contraceptive] injections. So, they can be released, but they have to have those injections the whole time that they’re out. I’d like to do everything I can do to make sure that we’re trying to save our children and keep them safe,” she said.
