A former Fort Polk U.S. Army soldier was found guilty today of sexually abusing a minor.
United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury found Ronald W. Allen, Jr., 40, of Fork Polk, guilty on all counts against him.
The two-day jury trial was presided over by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The jury deliberated for 30 minutes before Allen was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 12 and sexual abuse of a minor.
Testimony showed that from April 2012 until June 2016, Allen abused the minor on multiple occasions on the Fort Polk Military Base, where the defendant lived.
The abuse was exposed when the minor told someone at a school she was attending near Fort Polk. Law enforcement was then notified, the victim was interviewed, and a warrant was executed.
Agents obtained DNA evidence from where the abuse occurred and matched it to Allen's DNA.
Allen faces 30 years to life in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child under the Age of 12, and 15 years in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. He also faces no less than five years to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The court did not set a sentencing date.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted
anonymously. The Lake Charles FBI office number is (337) 433-6353.
