PALATKA, Fla. – A man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted of capital sexual battery in Putnam County, according to the Office of the State Attorney, Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
After a two-day trial and 26 minutes of deliberation, a Putnam County jury found Lawrence Lacourse, 69, guilty as charged of several sex crimes involving children, including sexual battery on a child less than 12 years of age, lewd and lascivious molestation of a child less than 12 years of age and three counts of sexual battery on a child or older but less than 18.
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Lacourse was sentenced to mandatory life in prison after his conviction and was designated a sexual predator, officials said.
According to the SAO, Lacourse was already designated a sexual offender under Florida law when the crimes happened. He was previously convicted of child sexual abuse charges in Collier County in 1995.
“The defendant is a pedophile who repeatedly raped young child family members. His sexual depravity knows no bounds,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. “May his victims find some peace in his convictions and sentences.”
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant State Attorneys Deborah Rothenberg and Alexander Gilewicz tried the case for the state.