Jury Convicts Pearl River Man of Molesting A Juvenile

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish jury found Claude Wayne Bennett (68) of Pearl River guilty Wednesday (August 7, 2019) of two counts of Molestation of a Juvenile under 13. He faces 25 to 99 years in prison when he is sentenced on August 12 before Judge William Knight.

During the trial, which began Monday, Assistant District Attorneys Will Macke and Tiffany Dover argued that Bennett manipulated the trust of the victim’s family members and took advantage of the victim for his own sexual gratification.

The jury deliberated for 25 minutes before returning the verdict of guilty. The case was investigated by the Department of Children and Family Services and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.