Vancleave man pleads guilty to sex crime against child

A Vancleave man will serve 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to a sex crime against a child.

District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said Monday that 30-year-old Jack Douglas Hart pleaded guilty to one count of touching a child for lustful purposes.

Judge Keith Miller sentenced Hart to the maximum of 15 years, day-for-day, with no early release. Hart also must register as a sex offender.

According to the court, family members were in town visiting during the holidays in November 2022. A visitor began looking for the six-year-old victim and found her alone with Hart in his bedroom, which was locked.

After leaving the bedroom, the victim said she was touched inappropriately by Hart, who initially denied the allegations.

However, in court, he admitted to the crime as part of his guilty plea.

“The protection of our children will always be a top priority of this office,” McIlrath said. “I encourage all parents and guardians to have early conversations with their children about body safety and to foster an environment where children feel safe to disclose abuse.

“There is an abundance of resources online to help with the conversation. It takes a great deal of bravery for victims to come forward and stand up to their abuser. Because of this young victim’s bravery, we were able to hold this defendant accountable for this crime and potentially prevent further abuse.”