EDGARD, La. -- A St. John Parish Judge is preparing to surrender to authorities tonight.
A Parish Grand Jury handed up a multi-count indictment charging Judge Jeff Perilloux with engaging in sexual misconduct with three teenage girls.
Perilloux denies any wrongdoing, but he faces serious allegations. He faces three felony counts of indecent behavior with juveniles. Count one alleges an incident happened last May. Counts two and three alleged incidents happened last June with two different teenage girls.
The 50-year-old Judge also faces a misdemeanor count of sexual battery of an alleged crime that involved a third teenager last December.
“Judge Perilloux unequivocally maintains he has never done anything improper with any of the three alleged victims,” attorney David Courcell said after the indictment came down. “He will vigorously defend himself against these allegations.”
Perilloux has also been accused of sexual misconduct with one of the same girls, a 15-year-old, during a trip to Destin last July. That allegation was investigated and, so far, no charges have been filed in Florida.
Perilloux is expected to self-surrender to authorities once an arrest warrant is issued. He has taken a leave of absence from court.
The Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation into Judge Perilloux’s conduct and the case is being prosecuted by the State Attorney General’s Office. Perilloux’s fellow judges in St. John Parish recused themselves from the case early on.