Cynthia Perkins takes plea deal in child sex crimes case, must testify against her ex-husband
DENHAM SPRINGS - Cynthia Perkins, a former teacher charged in a disturbing child sex crimes case, has agreed to plead guilty to some of the charges against her.
Prosecutors said Perkins agreed to plead guilty to charges including production of child pornography, second-degree rape and mingling of harmful substances. Her remaining 68 charges will be dismissed. She will be sentenced to 41 years in prison.
As part of the deal, Cynthia agreed to be called as a witness in the trial of her husband, Dennis Perkins. Cynthia filed for divorce after their arrests in 2019, alleging she was manipulated by her then-husband to commit the disturbing crimes.
Both were charged in the same investigation, which was led by the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.
“Today, Cynthia Perkins admitted to her crimes and plead guilty in court. She not only waived any right to appeal, and attempt to avoid conviction, but she also spared the victims from reliving her horrific crimes during this particular trial. Today’s conviction is in the best interest of our victims and justice. I wish to thank Assistant Attorney General Barry Milligan and Assistant Attorney General Erica McLellan for their work in obtaining this guilty plea, and we look forward to holding Dennis Perkins accountable for his crimes in the very near future," Attorney General Jeff Landry said in a statement Monday.
Cynthia Perkins was in court Monday trying to have her trial moved outside of Livingston Parish, arguing she would not get an impartial jury there.
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Dennis Perkins, who was working as a Livingston Parish sheriff's deputy at the time of his arrest, was fired from the department. Cynthia was a teacher at Westside Junior High, but she resigned after her initial arrest in 2019.