If you are at all familiar with the concept of a statute of limitations, then you know that after a certain amount of time, it becomes extremely difficult to bring a lawsuit against another person. The criminal statutes of limitations vary by the severity of the crime in Louisiana. But of course you should not rely on statutes of limitations in order to prevent you from being acquitted of a crime. Your best option is to take legal action in your defense and speak with an attorney before saying anything to the police.
This advice would likely have served well a Texas man, who recently pleaded guilty to crimes that he committed more than two decades ago involving sexual assault and abuse against minors. According to police, the victims were approximately 9 years old. Police were investigating the reports when a Texas woman claimed that the man had abused her when she was younger and lived in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
Following this accusation, another woman approached the authorities with a similar story, at which point the man was extradited to Louisiana and questioned. He admitted to the crimes and is now facing 40 years in prison.
If you have ever been suspected of a crime, or if you are accused of a crime that happened years ago, you must take the accusations seriously no matter what. Even if you believe that statute of limitations has expired on a crime, it is important to note that circumstances may vary, and you must always be prepared to defend yourself if the need should arise. Being arrested for crimes that allegedly happened years ago may be surprising, but you must not let this rattle you and confess before taking full advantage of your rights. Before you speak to the police, you should consider speaking with an attorney.
Source: The Times-Picayune, “Texas man gets 40 years for sex crimes against Bogalusa girls,” Bob Warren, Oct. 8, 2015
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