NEW ORLEANS — A former New Orleans Police officer convicted of sexually molesting a 14-year-old rape survivor has his prison sentence doubled.
A U.S. district judge rejected Rodney Vicknair’s seven-year plea deal with federal prosecutors citing the sentence was "unjustifiably lenient."
On Tuesday, a federal judge doubled Vicknair’s sentence to 14 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors with the Department of Justice say for months, Vicknair and the victim spoke on the phone and exchanged messages on Snapchat. Vicknair, while in uniform, often stopped by unannounced at the victim’s residence.
They say Vicknair drove to the young girl's house and told her to come outside and get into his car. When she did, he locked the doors and touched the young girl's genitals under her clothing.
Vicknair admitted in federal court that he deprived the girl of her right to bodily integrity while acting as a police officer and touched the victim's genitals without her consent.
“We are grateful to this young survivor for coming forward, even though she thought no one would believe her,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Had she not been willing to do so, we would not have been able to hold the defendant accountable for his heinous crime. This case should send a strong message to law enforcement officers who sexually abuse victims, particularly children, that they are not above the law and will be held accountable.”
“The public must be able to trust that law enforcement will faithfully execute their sworn duties or face the consequences for failing to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Our office, along with the Department of Justice, the FBI and state and local law enforcement agencies, will continue to investigate and prosecute any violations of constitutional rights.”
According to a police report, Vicknair was responding to a report that a 14-year-old girl had been raped. After driving her and her mother to Children's Hospital for a rape examination, he stayed in contact with her after the incident. Their contact culminated in him touching her genitals under her clothing without her consent in September 2020.
He was fired and arrested after the incident was reported. He was booked with molestation, but was released from custody in February 2021 and wasn't charged in Louisiana state court.
The girl's mother has also filed a civil suit against Vicknair, which is scheduled to begin in April.
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