Habitual child sex offender sentenced to two life sentences behind bars
On October 16, Florida’s Putnam County Sheriff’s Office announced that a registered sexual predator who had once again sexually assaulted a child under the age of 12, was sentenced to two life terms in prison. His sentencing came down on Wednesday following a two-day trial.
Background: Lawrence Lacourse, 69, repeatedly sexually assaulted a child from 2015 to 2019 and threatened the child to keep silent or he would post nude photos of her on social media. Lacourse was caught after the child disclosed to a friend what was happening, and that friend reported it to the sheriff’s office.
Lacourse was charged with:
- sexual battery of a child less than 12 years of age,
- lewd and lascivious molestation of a child less than 12 years of age,
- three counts of sexual battery on a child 12 years or older but less than 18, and
- two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child 12 years or older but less than 16.
The jury took only 26 minutes to deliberate before handing the guilty verdict, which includes a mandatory life sentence of the capital sexual battery conviction of a sexual predator.
“The defendant is a pedophile who repeatedly raped young child family members. His sexual depravity knows no bounds,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “May his victims find some peace in his convictions and sentences.”
The sheriff’s stated that, “unfortunately, the death penalty could not be sought in this case because the crimes occurred before the change in state statutes.” Lacourse was previously convicted of child sexual abuse charges in Collier County in 1995 and was a registered sexual predator.
“This is exactly why we will continue to make Putnam County a less than hospitable place for sexual offenders and predators,” Sheriff H.D. ‘Gator’ DeLoach said.
“We have seen several repeat offenses this year alone and fortunately the Seventh Judicial State Attorney, Florida’s 7th Circuit office has sought the death penalty in these capital offenses. We must protect our children and we are not a place where predators and offenders can go and hide. We want to thank RJ Larizza and his team for securing a conviction that Mr. Lacourse will never be free again. He will die in a cage, which is what he deserves.”
(Source and cover booking photo of Lawrence Lacourse: Putnum County Sheriff’s Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
