Allen Gisclair
August 27, 2007Deantae’ Rhines
August 29, 2007
Former Thibodeaux Police Department K-9 officer Ronald Comeaux Jr. was arrested on
charges of committing aggravated rape 20 years ago.
The victim claims Comeaux, 43, of 144 Seraphin St. in Napoleonville, began sexually abusing her at the age of nine. And the abuse, which occurred regularly, evolved to rape by the time she turned 11.
The investigation is ongoing and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office warns the possibility of additional victims of sexual abuse at Comeaux’s hands exists.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Larry Weidel said he didn’t know how long the investigation into the victim’s allegations had been underway.
Weidel said the victim came forth with the allegations. He didn’t know why the victim decided to come forward after 20 years, but speculated something had to trigger it.
Comeaux is currently in parish jail on a $500,000 bond set by District Judge Walter
Lanier Jr.
He is being kept in single cell confinement for protective reasons, the spokesman said.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office assisted the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office in the arrest.
The state has no statute of limitation on rape, and the crime of aggravated rape of a victim under the age of 13 has a penalty of life in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
In some cases, the offender can be punished by death.
As far as the evidence the victim brought forth for the parish to seek an arrest warrant,
Weidel said the judge thought it was credible enough to issue the warrant.
Comeaux resigned from the Thibodeaux Police Department about two weeks ago, shortly after he was suspended for a day without pay for violating department policy by releasing his K-9 during a traffic stop not involving the commission of a felony.
Aggravating the incident was the fact the K-9 got loose from Comeaux and chased nearby children, who had been playing basketball. Reports indicated one child was actually pulled off the top of a car while trying to escape the police dog.
None of the children were seriously hurt in the incident.
