THIBODAUX — A Leesville man arrested in Raceland over the summer faces up to 40 years in prison after he was convicted of child-pornography charges by a federal jury in Lake Charles.
After a two-day trial that ended Tuesday, the jury deliberated about 30 minutes before convicting Christopher Comeaux, 34, on possession and production of child pornography. Comeaux molested a 10-year-old girl for more than a year, according to trial testimony, eventually taping a sexual assault while the victim’s mother was out of town.
During an investigation by Leesville Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Comeaux’s computer was found to contain thousands of child-pornography images, including some which allegedly showed Comeaux assaulting the girl, authorities said.
Comeaux faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum sentence is 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. He has no chance of parole, which is no longer a part of the federal system.
Comeaux will also face a lifetime of supervision after his release from prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 11.
Comeaux evaded authorities for years following his 2005 indictment in the Western District of Louisiana. He was arrested in August 2008 with help from State Police Troop C after investigators received a tip he was hiding in Raceland.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement was involved through the Project Safe Childhood program. Founded in 2006, the program is designed to coordinate federal, state and local authorities under U.S. Attorney’s Office officials to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
“This office will continue to aggressively pursue predators of innocent children, which will be met by vigorous investigations and prosecutions seeking maximum punishment,” U.S. Attorney Donald Washington said in a news release about Comeaux’s conviction.
