Former Catholic Priest, Duson Resident Accused Of Molesting Child

A former Catholic priest now living in Duson has been arrested in Calcasieu Parish on charges that he molested a then-eight-year-old boy in the 1980's.

Sheriff Tony Mancuso says his office received a letter in December of last year from a law firm acting on behalf of the Lake Charles diocese. The letter revealed the victim, who is now 34-years-old, was molested by Mark Broussard from 1986 to 1989, Mancuso says.

"The investigation revealed during that time period the victim and his family were attending St. Henry Catholic Church when the priest began sexually assaulting him," Mancuso says.

Mancuso says investigator looked over Broussard's personnel file and discovered at least four other cases of inappropriate sexual contact with male children. Those incidents had not been reported to police. Instead, Broussard was transferred to St. Eugene Catholic Church in Grand Chenier, where he resigned from the priesthood in 1994.

Broussard was arrested yesterday  with the assistance of State Police. He's been booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center on two counts of aggravated battery and 52 counts of sexual battery.