DA Warren Montgomery reported that former Slidell priest, Patrick Brian Wattigny, pled guilty as charged yesterday to 2 counts of molestation of a juvenile by virtue of a position of control or supervision over the juvenile.
He was sentenced by District Judge John Keller to 15 years in prison on each count, to run concurrently, with 10 of the years suspended. So, he will serve five years.
He was arrested and taken into custody following the hearing.
The maximum sentence he could have received was 20 years in prison.
The Judge also sentenced him to an additional five years of probation, sex offender registration, and a “no contact” order with respect to the victims.
The D.A.’s Office said it did not agree to any concessions; the Court had sole discretion in the sentencing.
The 55 YO was a former pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church and chaplain at Pope John Paul II High School, both in Slidell. He was charged in 2020, when a victim came forward. A second victim came forward in 2022.
Assistant District Attorney Blake Peters prosecuted the case.
