DESOTO PARISH, LA (KSLA) -
The Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit upheld the conviction and sentence of a Mansfield man facing additional prison time under the multiple offender law.
According to the DeSoto Parish District Attorney's Office:
In July 2010, a DeSoto Parish jury found Frederick Preston, Jr., 24, guilty of attempted sexual battery on a 14-year-old girl. Immediately following that verdict, the DeSoto Parish District Attorney's Office filed a multiple offender bill against Preston, who had been convicted of other felonies. Those prior felony convictions included sexual battery of a 13-year-old girl and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling. The District Attorney's multiple offender bill increased Preston's prison time.
Preston appealed his 2010 conviction, alleging that the trial court erroneously admitted evidence of his past convictions and that the judge sentenced him improperly. The Court of Appeal disagreed, affirming both Preston's conviction and sentence.
DeSoto District Attorney Richard Z. Johnson, Jr. welcomed the appellate court's decision, commenting that the court's decision was "absolutely the right thing to do." "Frederick Preston is an especially dangerous person, because he chooses children as his victims. Child predators have no place in our community."
Johnson went on to state that his office "will continue to pursue multiple offender sentencing in all cases where it is warranted."
Frederick Preston (Source: DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office)
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