In a plea deal, a former Louisiana deputy pleaded guilty to a series of horrific child sex crimes, including ejaculating on cupcakes that his wife fed to junior high school students.
In a plea agreement on Tuesday, Dennis Perkins, formerly with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, admitted to rape, sexual battery of a child under 13, video voyeurism, and child pornography.
Additionally, he was charged with mingling harmful substances after his wife, a teacher, gave students at Livingston’s Westside Junior High School cupcakes containing his semen.
Local newspaper The Advocate reported that Perkins avoided a lengthy trial that would have forced young victims to testify and relive the traumatizing crimes.
The couple was indicted for 150 sex crimes in 2019.
In February 2022, she pleaded guilty to second-degree rape, child pornography production, and conspiracy to mingle harmful substances. As part of her plea deal, 68 of the 72 charges against her were dropped and she agreed to testify against Dennis.
A 41-year prison sentence was imposed on her.
The day after her arrest, she resigned from Westside Junior High School, claiming that her husband had manipulated her into committing the crimes.
Dennis Perkins was due to go on trial on Monday, facing 78 charges, according to The Advocate.
His trial was delayed last year after the state dumped more than 800,000 digital files it obtained and his lawyer requested additional time to review them.
According to his plea agreement, Perkins will spend the rest of his life in prison.
“By waiving his right to appeal, probation, parole, or any attempt to avoid conviction, Mr. Perkins spared the victims from reliving his horrific crimes during trial,” Attorney General Jeff Landry, who prosecuted the case, told The Advocate.
As a former court official, Perkins apologized to his victims and to his former community.
“I would like to express my apologies. … I spent over three years living in a box. This is not about me. I just want to say that Jesus Christ has forgiven me. He said he hoped and prayed that anyone affected by this would also find forgiveness and healing through Christ.”
In a victim statement submitted to the court before Perkins spoke, one woman condemned Perkins’ “sick, deplorable actions.”
“I am so thankful that I won’t have to sit in this courtroom with you or your attorney again,” she told The Advocate. “Have a nice life in prison.”.
The newspaper reported that Perkins had been the SWAT unit commander for the Sheriff’s office since 2002.
Police uncovered a photo of Perkins and his wife nude with a minor after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.