COVINGTON, La. — A grand jury handed down a superseding indictment against former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Rodney “Jack” Strain Tuesday, adding two additional counts of aggravated rape.
The superseding indictment does not add any more victims to the case, but clarifies the timeline of the sex crimes allegedly committed by Strain by splitting up the aggravated rape counts.
Louisiana State Police arrested Strain in June on two counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest, one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and a count of sexual battery, after the initial grand jury indictment.
Strain's initial indictment and arrest came after a years-long timeline of investigation into his business dealings while sheriff, involving a St. Tammany work release program, that eventually unearthed the allegations of sex crimes.
According to the indictment, the sex crimes charges against Strain stem from the sexual abuse of four alleged victims from 1975 to 2004, when Strain was St. Tammany sheriff. All four victims were under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged crimes. Two of the victims were under the age of 12.
There is no statute of limitations for aggravated rape.
If convicted, Strain would face a mandatory life sentence.
Strain is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 15.