The judge ordered consecutive sentences after a no-contest plea to two felony carnal knowledge counts and two indecent behavior counts.
ASCENSION PARISH, La. — A Prairieville woman was sentenced Tuesday to 26 years in state prison for sex crimes involving teenagers after pleading no contest earlier this fall, court officials said. The sentence follows an investigation that began in 2024 when a teenage boy reported sexual encounters and other teens reported receiving explicit messages.
Prosecutors said 44-year-old Leeann Yammarino pleaded no contest in September to two counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. District court officials said the judge imposed the maximum on each count and ordered the terms to run one after the other: 10 years on each felony carnal knowledge count and three years on each indecent behavior count, totaling 26 years. Authorities said Yammarino has been jailed since her 2024 arrest and will receive credit for time served. Upon release, she must register as a sex offender for 15 years under state law, officials said.
Prosecutors told the court the case centered on a 14-year-old boy who reported two sexual encounters between Jan. 1 and July 30, 2024. Investigators said that during the probe, they identified additional communications with teenagers ages 14 to 16 and recovered explicit messages and videos. Yammarino entered the no-contest plea in September, avoiding a trial but allowing the court to treat the plea as a conviction for sentencing. In court Tuesday, a family member asked for the maximum sentence, saying the offenses caused lasting damage. The judge cited the number of teenagers involved and the timeline described in the investigative record while announcing the terms from the bench.
The investigation began after a report to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in mid-2024, according to officials with the 23rd Judicial District. Detectives interviewed the initial complainant and later identified other teenagers who said they received lewd messages. Prosecutors said the conduct tied to the two felony carnal knowledge counts involved the same boy, while the indecent behavior counts stemmed from separate communications with teens in the same age range. Authorities said no additional adult defendants were linked to the case. The teenager at the center of the carnal knowledge counts was not identified due to age, and the court sealed certain records consistent with juvenile privacy protections.
Public records show Yammarino was arrested in August 2024 and did not post bond. The court accepted her no-contest plea in September 2025. On Tuesday, the judge pronounced 10 years on each felony count and three years on each indecent behavior count and ordered the sentences to run consecutively. Prosecutors said the terms reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the presence of multiple teenage victims in the record. The defense did not dispute the calculation of credit for time served. Authorities said Yammarino will be placed on the state sex-offender registry for 15 years after release, as required in the case.
Records from the sheriff’s office and district attorney outline a straightforward timeline: a report by a teenage boy, corroborating statements by other teenagers, the recovery of messages, an arrest in 2024, a no-contest plea in September 2025 and sentencing on Nov. 18, 2025. Officials did not release further details about the minors to protect their identities. No restitution was ordered Tuesday. The district attorney’s office said it would notify the families of any post-sentencing motions or changes in custody status through its victim-services program.
Louisiana law defines felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile as sexual intercourse with a person who is 13–16 years old when the offender is four or more years older, with specific sentencing ranges. Indecent behavior with a juvenile covers lewd or lascivious acts or communications with a person under 17 with the required intent. Prosecutors said the consecutive structure in this case reflects separate counts tied to distinct acts and victims. The court ordered post-release registration for 15 years, which includes address verification, notice to local law enforcement and other statutory requirements once the prison term ends.
Neighbors described a somber scene outside the courthouse Tuesday as families left quietly after sentencing. “I hope the boys can heal,” one community member said. A relative who spoke in court described the harm as “deep and lasting.” Prosecutors thanked detectives for organizing the digital evidence and interviews. The defense did not speak at length after sentencing and left without addressing reporters. Court security escorted the parties out separate exits, and the gallery cleared minutes after the ruling.
As of Wednesday, the Department of Corrections listed Yammarino in custody on the consecutive 26-year term. Prosecutors said any appeal would follow standard deadlines. The next procedural step is the entry of the written sentencing order and transmission of paperwork to the state corrections system.
Author note: Last updated November 21, 2025.