Kenneth Bryant, 47, faced three counts of molestation of a juvenile in Jefferson Parish court Thursday, for forcing a girl, 16, to perform oral sex on him
A landlord in Louisiana pleaded guilty to forcing a girl, 16, to perform oral sex on him or have her family face eviction.
Kenneth Bryant, 47, faced three counts of molestation of a juvenile in Jefferson Parish court Thursday.
The Harahan, Louisiana, native was sentenced to five years in prison, three of which were suspended, and also has to register as a sex offender.
The age of consent in Louisiana is at 17 for any age.
And according to the girl’s parents, the landlord followed through with his threat to evict the family once she reported the incident to police.
‘He threatened her with her job. Threatened to have her fired from her job. Threatened to have us evicted,’ said the girl’s father to WWL on the condition of anonymity.
‘Threatened to have my sons evicted if she didn’t do these acts.
He added that his daughter was forced to perform the act.
Last December, the teen gave a recorded statement to the Children’s Advocacy Center in New Orleans, giving a detailed account of her encounter with Bryant.
She said that he told her to take her clothes off and after she refused, forced her to perform oral sex.
The victim was said to have worked for Bryant when he was president of BFM Corporation, a large land survey management company
According to an arrest warrant, the girl was able to push Bryant off before he had a chance to do any more physical harm.
Text messages were also obtained by the Kenner Police Department showing conversations between the victim and Bryant.
The text showed that the teen was ‘not wanting to have vaginal sex with him,’ according to the warrant. Also mentioned was the firing of a family member because of the reporting to police.
Police records also show that the incidents occurred on three occasions: at Bryant’s house, his Kenner office and a vehicle outside his job.
The victim was said to have worked for Bryant when he was president of BFM Corporation, a large land survey management company.
One of the incidents, which led police to arrest Bryant, occurred in company’s Kenner headquarters.
BFM owner Ralph P Fontcuberta claimed to have fired Bryant after his first arrest and said: ‘I am sorry I ever met him. I am disgusted with this.’
Bryant was arrested back in December 2016 for suspicion of second-degree rape but pleaded not guilty.
He still faces a theft charge for $1500 worth of equipment he was said to have stolen.
According to the girl’s father, his family had had a decent relationship with the man, often engaging in conversation on Bryant’s porch.