Shongaloo man gets 25 years for sex crimes

A Shongaloo man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison involving a 40-year span of sex charges.

Gary R. Modisette, 68, of the 29200 block of Highway 157, was sentenced to 25 years at hard labor with the Louisiana Department of Corrections without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on four counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and two counts of molestation of a juvenile. These sentences are to run concurrent, which means they will run at the same time.

He was sentenced in front of 26th Judicial District Judge E. Charles Jacobs Monday, following a plea agreement.
Assistant district attorney Hugo Holland says they are pleased with the outcome of the case.

“With Modisette’s advanced age, a 25 year sentence is very close to a life sentence for him,” he said, “especially since sex crimes generally require flat time without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.”

One of Modisette’s victims spoke out following his sentencing Monday, saying she was glad to know that he will not be able to hurt another woman.

“I was a victim in 1991,” she said, adding the incident occurred when she was just 15 years old. “It’s awesome because he can’t hurt any other young girls or women ever again. When it resurfaced in the paper in January, I’d already kind of dealt with it, and when I saw it in the paper, it took me back to that day.”

While her case was not among those he was sentenced for, she says hers was one of the catalysts that helped the case against Modisette move forward. She says the sexual abuse she suffered affected her very negatively, and she feels blessed because he can’t hurt anyone else.

“I pray for him and his family, but also for every victim and every family member of every victim he’s ever affected,” she said. “I’ve forgiven him and I still pray for him.”

Modisette was originally charged with six counts of indecent behavior and molestation of juveniles following an investigation by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office in January. During their investigation, Sheriff Gary Sexton said at the time of his arrest they were able to establish that Modisette had reportedly been sexually abusing young girls, some as young as seven years old, for more than 40 years. The first case is believed to have occurred in 1973, chief deputy Bobby Igo Jr. said at the time.