Former St. Landry Parish priest accused of sexual abuse pleads guilty

By Wynce Nolley
KATC TV
March 27, 2019

https://bit.ly/2CIFGNI

Michael Guidry

Former priest Michael Guidry has pleaded guilty to sexual molestation of a juvenile.

KATC was in the courtroom when Judge Alonzo Harris accepted Guidry’s plea and set a sentencing date of April 30 when witness testimony will be heard.

Guidry now faces 5 – 10 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000. As part of his plea deal, Guidry will have to stay in Acadia Parish until his sentencing, turn over his passport and be placed on the sex offender registry.

After the hearing, the victim’s father, Deacon Scott Peyton, released a statement to KATC’s Jim Hummel, which states, “We are one step closer to achieving justice for our son. We are deeply troubled by watching active members of St. Peter’s Parish Council show up to support Guidry.”

Guidry, 75, is the former pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Morrow who was arrested in June 2018 after a deacon’s son came forward to allege the priest had given him alcohol and molested him. In December 2018, Guidry was formally charged with molestation of a juvenile by the St. Landry Parish District Attorney.

The victim and his parents sued Guidry and the Diocese of Lafayette in August of 2018, claiming that a Diocesan official said they would discontinue therapy for the victim and his family should they file suit.

The family’s attorney also provided a letter from the Diocese acknowledging that there was a luncheon held in Guidry’s honor after the allegations were reported.