Barton gets 25 year sentence

By: Howell Dennis
CROWLEY - Serial sex offender Lance Barton was sentenced to 25 years at hard labor for molesting a 10-year-old girl in 2005. He was sentenced to 15 years on the molestation charge and 10 years for oral sexual battery. The sentences run consecutively.

Barton’s mother, who was sitting in the front row, burst into tears when the verdict was read.

Assistant District Attorney Rogers Hamilton, who prosecuted the case, stated that he will be filing a Bill of Information, due to the fact that Barton is a repeat offender, which could result in a life sentence.

“The District Attorney’s office will continue to vigorously prosecute sex offenders in Acadia Parish,” said Hamilton.

His most recent charges stem from a 2005 case involving a 10-year-old girl.

In July, Barton was convicted of his most recent charges. The girl, now 15 testified at his trial.

One of Barton’s victims from an earlier case also testified, describing actions by her molester that tracked those described by the current victim.

Barton’s history of sexual offenses stretched across Louisiana. His past convictions include aggravated crimes against nature (1984 in Alexandria), indecent behavior with a juvenile (1990 in Baton Rouge) and oral sexual battery (1995 in Livingston Parish).

During the trial, one of Barton’s fellow inmates sent a letter to the District Attorney’s office, stating that Barton had graphically described his crimes and that he was laughing at the District Attorney during his trial. The inmate, who kept his name anonymous, claimed to be a father and called Barton a ‘menace to society’, stating that he ‘strongly believes he definitely would commit these charges again.’

The inmate who wrote the letter did so on his own and was offered no deals by the District Attorney’s office.

The case was presided over by Judge Glennon Everett