A 14th Judicial District Court judge on Wednesday sentenced a Sulphur man to 88 years in prison for his involvement in three crimes.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys had recommended a lesser sentence of 25 years for John Wesley Billiot, 28, who in January pleaded no contest to three counts of aggravated battery, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of armed robbery with a firearm and once count of obscenity.

Judge Michael Canaday said Billiot is a three-time felon. “I don’t see any redeeming attributes in your actions, historically and in regards to this matter,” he told Billiot.

He said Billiot should spend the rest of his life in prison.

Authorities said Billiot twice was involved in baseball bat beatings in January 2011, and they said he raped a 13-year-old girl and tattooed his name on her right calf and her mother’s name on her left calf.

On Jan. 3, 2011, Billiot and Tonya Boulay Rushing drove two boys, ages 17 and 15, to a secluded area in Edgerly, where they made them strip to their underwear and beat them with a bat, authorities said.

On Jan. 15, 2011, Billiot and Scott Melancon drove a male to an empty field on La. 109 and beat him with a bat, authorities said.

Billiot’s sentence broke down as follows:

• 70 years on both counts of armed robbery to run concurrent with each other.

• Five years on each count of armed robbery with a firearm to run concurrent with each other, but consecutive with armed robbery.

• Five years each on two counts of aggravated battery to run concurrent.

• 10 years on a separate count of aggravated battery to run consecutive.

• Three years on the count of obscenity to run consecutive.

Arraignments

• A man accused of being an accessory after the fact to a triple homicide at McMillan Park pleaded not guilty Wednesday. A case management conference was set for July 15 for Lon Allen Porter, 24, 1128 North Prater St. Porter is also charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

• Brandon Demoin Franklin, 30, pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted second-degree murder, in relation to a Jan. 18 incident. Franklin has a pretrial conference date of June 20 and a trial date of Oct. 7.

(mgnonline.com)