Federal jury finds former Fort Polk soldier guilty for sexually abusing a minor

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury handed down a guilty verdict on all counts against a former Fort Polk U.S. Army soldier who sexually abused a minor beginning when the minor was under the age of 12 years old.

Ronald W. Allen Jr., 40, of Fort Polk, Louisiana, was convicted after a two-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before the defendant was found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and sexual abuse of a minor.

Testimony presented during the trial showed that from April 2012 until June 2016 the defendant sexually abused the minor on numerous occasions on the Fort Polk Military Base, where the defendant lived.  The abuse was exposed when the minor gave details to an individual at a school she was attending in a community near Fort Polk.  Local law enforcement agents were later notified, the victim was interviewed and a warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence.  Agents obtained DNA evidence from where abuse occurred and matched it to the defendant’s DNA.

Allen faces 30 years to life in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child under the Age of 12, and 15 years in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor.  The defendant also faces no less than five years to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  The court did not set a sentencing date.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.          

Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Lake Charles FBI office number is (337) 433-6353.

The FBI, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.