Carencro Man Convicted of Rape and Child Molestation, Faces Over 100 Years in Prison

LAFAYETTE, La. – A Carencro man is facing a potential sentence of more than a century behind bars after being convicted of raping and molesting a child over a yearlong period in Lafayette Parish.

According to News 15, 46-year-old Matthew Dennis was found guilty by a Lafayette Parish jury on Wednesday, April 23, of forcible rape and molestation of a juvenile. The crimes occurred between April 2013 and June 2014, when the victim was just 12 years old.

The case was reported to authorities in 2016 and investigated by the Lafayette Police Department. Prosecutors say it was delayed for years due to a series of defense motions, with 13 separate trial dates continued over a six-year period.

Despite the delays, the now 24-year-old victim remained cooperative throughout the legal process. Lead prosecutor Kaitlynn Mistretta commended the survivor’s courage, saying, “She helped us obtain justice for her and helped us protect our community from a dangerous sex offender.”

District Attorney Don Landry also acknowledged the work of Mistretta and Judge Royale Colbert in navigating the prolonged case. He pointed to the repeated defense continuances as a significant reason for the delay, stating, “This is a great illustration that when defense attorneys change so often and the defense is allowed to obtain trial continuances without objection from prosecutors, then justice is delayed for our victims and our community.”

News 15 reports that Dennis is scheduled to be sentenced later this summer, in July or August. He faces up to 99 years for the molestation conviction and up to 40 years for the rape charge. Both charges carry mandatory minimums with no eligibility for parole, probation, or sentence suspension for at least part of the terms.

If served consecutively at the maximum, Dennis could be sentenced to as much as 139 years in prison.