Convicted child rapist Ryan Clark to be chemically castrated

A Louisiana man convicted of raping a girl under the age of 13 will be chemically castrated in addition to serving 35 years in prison, a judge ruled this week.

Ryan Clark, 34, was also ordered to make no contact with the victim, register as a sex offender for life and forfeit all his parental rights to any children, according to Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney Scott Perrilloux.

Clark, of Kentwood, pleaded guilty to second-degree rape, molestation of a juvenile under 13, and sexual battery on March 1.

He was sentenced Tuesday by Judge Brian Ables.

Chemical castration was made legal in Louisiana in 2008 as a sentencing for those found guilty of certain crimes, including molestation of a juvenile, aggravated rape, forcible rape, second-degree sexual battery, aggravated incest, and aggravated crime against nature, according to WVUE.

The process involves injections of medroxyprogesterone acetate — a drug that suppresses a man’s sex drive by depleting testosterone levels, the outlet reported.

The injections must be administered at least a week before a convicted sex offender is released from prison.

An investigation into Clark began in July 2020 after the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office was tipped off about “inappropriate behavior” between Clark and a minor by a person whom the victim had confided in, according to the DA. The person told authorities that the behavior had gone on for more than a year.

The victim was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hammond, where she detailed the incidents, Perrilloux said.

A possible second victim was also discovered during the investigation.

No additional details about the incidents were made available.

Clark was arrested on July 17, 2020 and charged with sexual battery and molestation of a juvenile. After further investigation, he was additionally charged with first-degree rape.

The convicted rapist was previously convicted in 2015 of misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile for receiving oral sex in a public place from a minor. He served 128 days in the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.