LAFAYETTE PARISH — A Catholic priest has now been formally charged in an Acadia Parish child sex abuse case.
Korey Lavergne, 37, was named last week in a Bill of Information accusing him of three counts felony indecent behavior with a juvenile. The bill accuses him of committing "lewd or lascivious acts upon a juvenile" who was 15 years old at the time of the offense, which was dated January 1, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
There are other sections of the relevant statute that deal with grooming and with transmission of visual depictions of lewd conduct; those are not the sections listed in the Bill of Information filed against him.
Lavergne's arriagnment is set for March 20 at 9 a.m. in the Acadia Parish Courthouse. Acadia Parish records list no attorney for him.
Back in January, we reported that Lavergne, who was pastor of St. Edward Church in Richard, had been arrested by Acadia Parish Sheriff's deputies following an investigation. The church's website still lists him as pastor of the church. He posted bond at the time of his arrest and has been free on that bond since.
At that time, the Diocese of Lafayette said it received information about possible misconduct by the cleric through the sheriff's office, which conducted the investigation leading to Lavergne's arrest.
St. Edward Catholic Church is known as the home parish of Charlene Richard, often referred to as the “Little Cajun Saint.”
Here's the statement the Diocese issued back in January:
"The Diocese of Lafayette has received information regarding possible misconduct by a cleric through the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office. The Diocese was informed that the Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation and that an arrest was made earlier today of Father Korey Lavergne, pastor of Saint Edward Church in Richard. The Diocese will continue to assist law enforcement and requests prayers for all who are involved," the Diocese stated.
