Louisiana Woman Gets No Jail for Sex with Group of Boys

(Houma, Louisiana) In May 2008, a 47-year-old local house cleaner, Maureen Lirette, was arrested for engaging in sex with a group of at least seven teenage boys -- two as young as 13 -- during a party at her trailer.

Yesterday, Lirette pleaded guilty and, astonishingly, she was sentenced to probation while the judge apologized for embarrassing her.

After a late-night card game on May 21, Lirette brought the boys, along with four 18-year-olds, in her bedroom and had sex with each while the others watched, police said.

[Asst. District Attorney] Pickett explained the charges in court Tuesday to Judge Timothy Ellender, who reacted with disgust.

“So this was a gang bang?” Ellender said. “Are you pleased with yourself? Can’t you get yourself a man?” [...]

Ellender said if a man had committed the crimes Lirette pleaded guilty to, he would have received a much harsher sentence, perhaps even death.

“There’s a double standard,” he told Lirette. “Some people think you did a 13-year-old boy a favor. I certainly don’t.”

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you,” he said. “But you need to be embarrassed.”

According to the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney's Office, the families of the victims did not want Lirette to go to jail. As a consequence, she only gets five years' probation. However, she will have to register as a sex offender.

Notably, we can chalk up another judge who openly admits there is no equality under the law for sex offenders. I should make a list. Interestingly, though, Judge Ellender is the first I've heard apologize to a convicted child sex offender.