Terrebonne Parish jury convicts Thibodaux man of raping teenager
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A Thibodaux man was convicted Friday evening of sexually assaulting a child in 2019.
Following about three hours of deliberation, a Terrebonne Parish jury found Uly Ramon Henderson, 26, guilty of third-degree rape.
Henderson initially stood trial on the charge last year, but a judge declared a mistrial in March due to emerging coronavirus concerns. Jury trials were then halted for several months to slow the spread of COVID-19 and resumed April 1.
Henderson’s charges resulted from a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office investigation conducted in January 2019. Detectives launched a probe after receiving a complaint that he had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl during a weekend visit, authorities said.
The victim was taken to an out-of-area hospital to receive medical attention and an arrest warrant was issued for the suspect, authorities said.
Henderson was taken into custody Jan. 22, 2019, in Lafourche Parish and was transported to the Terrebonne Parish jail on Jan. 24, 2019.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Erny praised the now 15-year-old victim for having the bravery to testify twice in such a difficult case.
“I was really happy for the victim,” said Erny, who prosecuted the case. “She was barely 13 when this happened. To go through what she went through was outrageous. But she was strong. I couldn’t be prouder of her. She had to go through that twice. There was brutal cross-examination, but she stuck to her guns and never wavered. It was clear that she was telling the truth, despite the attacks from the defense. She’s a wonderful kid. I think she has a bright future.”
Henderson’s court-appointed attorney, Garyland Wallis of Houma, declined to comment about the verdict.
The defendant now faces up to 25 years in prison and is subject to being charged as a habitual offender, Erny said. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 19.
Erny said he hopes the conviction will bring a sense of closure for the victim.
“It’s always hard with these sex cases, but the jury took their time,” he said. “They really discussed it and analyzed all the evidence in the testimony. They came to the right decision.”
Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Terrebonne Parish jury convicts Thibodaux man of raping teenager