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Lee Jerome Lewis, 57, a resident of Mt. Hermon, was jailed on Monday on two counts of aggravated rape of a minor, according to Chief Deputy Mike Haley of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Haley said that the investigation by the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office Detective Division was the result of a complaint alleging ongoing sexual abuse of a child. After a thorough investigation, including consultation with child abuse professionals and medical personnel, WPSO Det. Demmie Rice obtained a warrant for the arrest of Lewis. Washington Parish patrol deputies took Lewis into custody at his place of employment in Franklinton.

Haley noted that this is a very sensitive sexual abuse case involving a young child. It is the WPSO’s policy not to reveal additional details in such matters, in an effort to protect both the child and family, Haley said.

Lewis has been in the Washington Parish Jail on four previous occasions since 2010. Previous charges include aggravated assault, forgery, attempted automobile theft, and being a fugitive from another jurisdiction in 2010 and again in 2015.

Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal commented on the arrest.

“Despicable, contemptible, disgraceful, loathsome, reprehensible and vile are only a few of the descriptive words that come to my mind as I review the details of this sordid case,” he said. “To sexually prey on any person is horrible and without excuse. To sexually prey on a child exceeds all bounds of human decency.

“I am so grateful for the hard work of our detective division, particularly Det. Rice, on this very sensitive matter.”