Bastrop man found guilty of 20 counts of indecent behavior

A 45-year-old Bastrop man has been convicted of 20 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Fifth District Attorney John M. “Mack” Lancaster announced that a Richland  parish jury convicted Henry Heath, 45, of  Bastrop, of 20 counts of indecent behavior with a  juvenile on March 20.  

Lancaster advised that the allegations of indecent behavior with the juvenile were  reported to Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office  investigator in April 2017.  The evidence showed that  the defendant had begun engaging in indecent behavior with the juvenile in Morehouse Parish in December  2015.  The conducted continued in Richland parish in  January 2016 and continued intermittently through the entire  year of 2016.  The juvenile was 15 years of age  when the conduct began.

 Lancaster stated that each count of indecent behavior with a juvenile carries up to  seven years in prison and requires registration as a sex  offender.  The defendant will be sentenced on May 15.  

Lancaster thanked his assistant district attorney Doug Wheeler who prosecuted the case.  

He  also thanked the Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office for  their work on the case and judge Steve Dean who presided  over the trial and who will impose the sentence.