Covington Man Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Young Girl

District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on October 16, 2025, a St. Tammany Parish jury found 40-year-old Winston Bradford Patterson of Covington guilty of oral sexual battery of a child under age 15 and molestation of a juvenile.  Assistant District Attorneys Taylor Nicholson and Gary Tromblay presented the case to the jury with Judge Scott Gardner presiding over the 4-day trial. Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Detective Nicholas Fishel, now with Louisiana State Police, was in charge of the investigation.

In 2022, a 13-year-old girl disclosed to a trusted adult that the defendant had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.  The adult alerted authorities and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation.   Officers spoke with members of the victim’s family who described Patterson as being “overly interested” in the victim and found his interactions with the victim “odd.”  When Patterson was questioned, he acknowledged having an improper relationship with the victim but refused to go into details. 

Forensic interviewer Callie Huggins with the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Hope House in Covington interviewed the victim.  During the interview, the victim said the defendant often spent time with her talking about various topics but nothing sexual.  One night, the defendant started rubbing the victim’s leg and eventually moved his hand to her genital area.  The victim told the defendant he was making her feel uncomfortable.  He apologized and stopped.  Some days or weeks later, the defendant again began touching the victim’s body which eventually progressed to him coercing her to participate in various sexual acts over an extended period.

Judge Gardner set Patterson’s sentencing for November 17, 2025.  The penalty for oral sexual battery is up to ten years in prison without parole eligibility.  The penalty for molestation of a juvenile is between five and ten years in prison.  However, the defendant faces enhanced sentencing due to several prior drug-related convictions.