Gulfport man sentenced on child sex crime charges
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- In Harrison County, a Gulfport man will spend decades in prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes involving a minor.
Forty-three-year-old Leonard Roberts pled guilty to sexual battery and exploitation of a child.
A Harrison County judge sentenced him to 40 years, with 30 years to be served day-to-day without the possibility of parole.
The case began after authorities in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana reported that a mentally impaired 17-year-old girl had given birth and identified Roberts as the father.
Investigators say the abuse happened on Smith Road in Harrison County.
DNA testing showed a 99 percent probability Roberts was the child’s father.
Authorities also found images and videos of the victim on Roberts’ phone, leading to the additional exploitation charge.
After serving his sentence, Roberts will be on post-release supervision for five years and must register as a sex offender.
