Leeann Yammarino pleaded no contest to two felony carnal knowledge counts and two indecent behavior counts tied to teens ages 14–16.
ASCENSION PARISH, La. — A district judge on Tuesday ordered consecutive prison terms totaling 26 years for a Prairieville mother who admitted to felony sex offenses involving teenagers, concluding a 16-month case that started with a report from a boy in 2024, court officials said.
The sentence caps a prosecution that began after detectives said a 14-year-old reported two sexual encounters and additional teens reported explicit messages. Prosecutors said 44-year-old Leeann Yammarino entered a no-contest plea in September to two counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. On Tuesday, the judge imposed 10 years on each carnal knowledge count and three years on each indecent behavior count and ran them back to back. Officials said Yammarino will receive credit for time served since her 2024 arrest and must register as a sex offender for 15 years once released.
According to investigative summaries, the conduct underlying the felony counts occurred between Jan. 1 and July 30, 2024, with a 14-year-old boy. Detectives with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office said they later identified explicit communications with other teens ages 14 to 16. Prosecutors told the court the evidence included interviews and digital records. A relative addressed the judge before sentencing and asked for the harshest allowable term, saying the family had been upended by the case. The judge said the consecutive structure reflected separate counts and the overall pattern described in the record.
Public booking records show Yammarino was arrested in August 2024 and remained in custody through sentencing. After the plea in September, the court set a presentence investigation and a hearing date for November. On Tuesday, the judge pronounced sentence from the bench, specifying 10 years on each felony carnal knowledge count and three years on each indecent behavior count, for a total of 26 years. The defense did not announce an appeal in court. The district attorney’s office said victim notifications would continue under state procedures.
Louisiana statutes set distinct penalties for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and for indecent behavior with a juvenile. The law requires sex-offender registration upon release, including address verification and periodic reporting for a set term. In this case, officials said the registration requirement will last 15 years after the prison term ends. The judge did not issue fines or probation terms beyond the prison sentence and registration timeline. Officials did not name the minors, citing privacy protections.
Community members at the courthouse described a quiet crowd and brief remarks from both sides after the hearing. “It’s a hard day for everyone involved,” one observer said. Prosecutors thanked investigators for assembling the digital evidence. Court deputies guided families out of separate doors after the ruling. A clerk said the written judgment would be filed and forwarded to the Department of Corrections along with credit-for-time-served calculations.
As of Wednesday, corrections officials listed Yammarino in state custody awaiting transfer on the consecutive term. The next milestone is the filing of the signed sentencing order and the docketing of any post-sentencing motions within standard deadlines.
Author note: Last updated November 21, 2025.