A Mandeville man is going to remain locked up for the next 60 years after raping a 65-year-old woman.
"Arthur James White, 50, of Mandeville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 years at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence," District Attorney's Public Information Officer Debbie Webber said in a news release.
Judge Tara Farris Zeller handed down the sentence following White’s guilty plea to sexual battery of a victim over 65 years of age.
"The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of May 29, 2021. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence in Mandeville after receiving an emergency call. Upon arrival, deputies located the 65-year-old victim hiding behind bushes in a neighbor’s yard."
Prosecutors say White attacked the woman while she was sleeping on her couch.
"White forced himself on top of her and shoved a cloth into her mouth to silence her screams before sexually assaulting her."
Webber says that during the sentencing hearing, the victim directly addressed White.
"I thank God I'm here to make this statement. Five years, 5 months ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to see this person standing over me - next thing I know, he's on top of me. I said Stop. I tried to scream. He shoved a rag down my throat. I remember you telling me when you were on top of me...you said, 'I'm doing this because I'm going to prison for the rest of my life anyway.' Today I'm saying to you...Yes, you are. You raped me."
Another woman White raped submitted a written statement to the court.
District Attorney Collin Sims said, "Today's 60-year sentence ensures that a dangerous predator will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs. I want to commend the victim for her immense bravery in speaking out and holding this offender accountable, as well as the victim who came forward from his past. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to seeking justice for victims of sexual violence and removing dangerous offenders from our community."
