Shreveport Man Found Guilty of Sexual Battery of a Child

A Shreveport man who groped and fondled a juvenile at a family gathering in 2022 was found guilty in Caddo District Court.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict against 68 year-old Willie Thomas Bryant. He was charged with sexual battery of a person under age 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under age 13.

The incident happened in 2022, when Bryant groped the girl over her clothing. The child told older siblings and eventually her mother, who was unaware that Bryant was already a registered sex offender. The girl was interviewed at Gingerbread House and the case was investigated by the Shreveport Police Department.

The jury heard from the girl, her mother, a forensic interviewer from Gingerbread House, a fingerprint expert and the case detective. Bryant testified in his own defense. The jury also learned that Bryant was previously convicted of attempted forcible rape in the 1990s.

Bryant will return to court in April for sentencing. For sexual battery, he faces a sentence of at least 25 years and up to 99 years at hard labor, while indecent behavior with a juvenile carries a sentence of at least 2 and up to 25 years at hard labor.

Bryant is already a lifetime registered sex offender, he will have to register for the new convictions as well: lifetime registration for the sexual battery and 15 years for the indecent behavior.

From the Caddo DA:

"Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Victoria T. Washington prosecuted the case. Michael Enright and Katie Miller defended Bryant.

The case was docket No. 404584."