A judge in Louisiana has ordered a man, who pleaded guilty to raping a teen girl and impregnating her, to be physically castrated in addition to a 50-year sentence.
21st District Judge William Dykes issued the unorthodox penalty last week after Glenn Sullivan Sr., 54, pleaded guilty on April 17, to four counts of second-degree rape.
Judge Dykes mandated the punishment following recommendations from the district attorney’s office, which stated that the nature of the punishment reflects the heinousness of the crimes.
“The allegations had began several years ago that Mr. Sullilvan had repeatedly raped her and …the first rape at the age of 14 she became pregnant,” Assistant District Attorney Brad Cascio told WAFB.
“Sex crimes against juveniles are the most malicious crimes we prosecute. I intend on using every tool the legislature is willing to give us, including physical castration, to seek justice for the children in our community,” he added.
WAFB has more on the circumstances that led up to Sullivan’s arrest and conviction:
According to the district attorney’s office, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating July 2022 after a young woman told detectives Sullivan raped her multiple times when she was 14 years old, resulting in her becoming pregnant. A DNA test was ordered during the investigation, which officials said proved Sullivan impregnated her.
Detectives reported that Sullivan groomed the victim and used threats of violence against her and her family to prevent her from disclosing the rapes.
Reporter Miranda Thomas notes Louisiana state law currently allows for judges to mandate chemical castration, however a defendant can choose physical castration, as happened in Sullivan’s case.
News of the severe punishment comes as a bill (SB371) introduced by Baton Rouge Democrat Sen. Regina Barrow advanced in the Senate this week which will “order the surgical castration of a sex offender who has committed an aggravated sexual offense against a minor under 13,” according to WVUE.
