Pearl River Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sexual Assault of 11 Year-Old Girl

District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on June 18, 2025, Ryan Pellegrin, age 36 and of Pearl River, was sentenced by Judge Scott Gardner to 45 years in prison for attempted aggravated crime against nature involving a child under the age of thirteen. In April, a St. Tammany Parish jury found Pellegrin guilty of the charge following a four-day trial.  Assistant District Attorneys Taylor Nicholson and Iain Dover presented the case to the jury.  Lieutenant Jayson Germann with the Pearl River Police Department led the investigation.

According to trial testimony, an 11-year-old girl was taken to a hospital in Bogalusa in 2021 by her aunt and uncle after she disclosed she had been sexually assaulted by the defendant.  Upon learning the alleged abuse occurred in Pearl River, the hospital notified the Pearl River Police Department.  During an interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Hope House in Covington, the child described in detail how Pellegrin had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions over the course of several years.  The child said Pellegrin threatened her with a firearm if she didn’t keep the abuse a secret.  He also told her he would do the same things to her best friend if she told anyone.

During the trial, the victim and her friend both testified.  The friend said Pellegrin had once attempted to touch her inappropriately while they were seated on a sofa but she got up and moved away from him.  He then made some lewd remarks to her.  She did not disclose the incident to anyone until several years later when she happened to see Pellegrin at a Slidell Waffle House.  After prosecutors presented their case to the jury, Pellegrin took the witness stand. He accused the victim of lying but when asked what possible motive she had to lie, he could not think of any.  When prosecutors attempted to question him regarding the graphic details of abuse the victim described during her testimony, he claimed he didn’t pay attention to what she said.

At Pellegrin’s sentencing, the victim gave a statement about how her life was adversely affected by Pellegrin sexually assaulting her.  Before imposing the 45-year prison term on Pellegrin, Judge Gardner noted that Pellegrin’s crime was “a life sentence for these children.”