District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on July 15, 2026, the Honorable Judge Scott Gardner sentenced 59-year-old Howard Lindsey, Jr., of Lacombe, Louisiana, to 30 years in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Lindsey was sentenced as a multiple offender following a jury conviction for failure to register as a sex offender.
Lindsey’s requirement to register stems from a March 31, 2004, conviction for Attempted Forcible Rape in St. Tammany Parish, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Following his release, Lindsey failed to comply with his legal obligations and was arrested again in February 2017 for failing to satisfy the Notification of Sex Offenders and Child Predators statutes. He was convicted of that violation and received another 10-year prison sentence.
Lindsey remained incarcerated until December 16, 2023. Two days later, on December 18, 2023, he reported in person to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO) Sex Offender Registry to complete his post-incarceration registration, listing his residence in Lacombe.
During that intake, registry staff noted that Lindsey became argumentative, claiming he was no longer a sex offender and was not required to register. He refused to listen as deputies explained his continuing legal obligations, including providing a mandatory Verification of Address (VOA) and paying the state-mandated fees required to complete his Community Notification. Registry workers instructed Lindsey to return by January 8, 2024, with his completed compliance materials and documentation.
Within days of his initial release, the STPSO Sex Offender Registry was advised that Lindsey had already relocated to an apartment in Lacombe. Due to holiday office closures, registry staff instructed Lindsey to contact the office on the morning of December 27, 2023, to officially update his address and receive adjusted community notification instructions for his new location.
Lindsey failed to make contact on December 27, neglected to report for his mandatory compliance date on January 8, 2024, and made no subsequent efforts to correct his status or notify the surrounding neighborhood of his presence. His failure to complete these tasks violated Louisiana Revised Statute 15:542.1, which mandates that sex offenders strictly update changes of address in person and fulfill all community notification requirements.
"Sex offender registration laws are not administrative suggestions - they are vital safeguards designed to keep our families and neighborhoods safe," District Attorney Collin Sims said following the sentencing. "When a convicted sex offender openly refuses to follow the law, downplays his offenses, and hides his whereabouts from law enforcement, he presents an immediate risk to public safety. This 30-year sentence sends a clear message that we will hold non-compliant offenders fully accountable."
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Gary Tromblay and Taylor Nicholson. The investigation was led by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Registry Division.
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