Gulfport man to serve life for sexual assault in Jackson County

A Gulfport man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted this week of sexual battery.

Darryl Anthony Parnell, 37, was sentenced by Judge Larry Bourgeois in Harrison County Circuit Court after a three-day trial. The jury deliberated just one hour before reaching a verdict.

The jury heard from the victim, who said he was three to four years old when Parnell sexually assaulted him. During the investigation, it was learned that Parnell had assaulted other victims, all in Jackson County.

“The jury heard testimony from those four other children that Parnell had sexually assaulted them when they were approximately five to 10 years old,” said Assistant District Attorney Haley Broom who prosecuted the case with ADA Jason Josef.

Bourgeois told Parnell during sentencing that that he took the victim’s “innocence and childhood” and described the crime as “a despicable act”.