A Jefferson Parish judge has sentenced Donte Allen to 25 years in prison, for his convictions of repeatedly entering a Metairie home where a woman suffering from dementia resided, sexually abusing her, cooking at least one meal and taking items.
Allen, 24, of Kenner, was convicted on Oct. 16 of sexual battery of the infirm, three counts of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, attempted disarming of a police officer, resisting police by force or violence, resisting an officer and criminal trespassing. His sentencing hearing was held on Nov. 18.
Allen had entered the Bruin Drive home at least four times. A 62-year-old immigrant who could not speak English and whose dementia left her unable to communicate resided in the home where relatives cared for her. She was left alone while family member worked.
In April 2021, relatives of the victim called 911, reporting that someone had been in the house cooking. Surveillance cameras at the residence were not operable, and a deputy found no evidence of other crimes.
Two days later, a relative went to the house and noticed a strange cell phone plugged into a wall, charging. That relative and his brother waited at the house to determine whether it belonged to the person they suspected had been entering the house.
The cell phone’s owner – Allen – arrived at the house that afternoon and let himself in with a key. One of the relatives confronted him and told him to drop the key. Allen did so and said he was a friend of the victim’s and returned to retrieve his cell phone. Another relative held Allen at gunpoint until the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived. But before deputies arrived, Allen fled on a bicycle, leaving his cell phone behind.
In late April, a relative arrived at the house to find Allen lying on a bed. He fled. The family found a broken window, indicating that was how Allen entered. Again, the victim was unable to communicate with deputies or her family about what transpired.
Days later, when the surveillance cameras were operable, Allen returned. Failing to force open a door with his hips, he broke a window to get inside. The victim was sleeping on a living room sofa as Allen walked around the residence.
At one point, he’s recorded entering the living room wearing only his boxer shorts. He picked up the victim and carried her to a room that was not equipped with cameras. A short time later, he returned to the living room, completely naked and sexually aroused.
He remained in the residence for several hours, rummaging through the property and later is seen putting items into a backpack. A relative arrived at the residence that night and found him inside. He fled.
The Sheriff’s Office identified Allen as a suspect by comparing his behavior to other trespassing and burglary investigations and through his booking photograph. On the cell phone Allen left at the residence in early April, detectives recovered a phone number they linked to Allen.
Deputies arrested Allen on May 10, 2021, while responding to a burglary-in-progress on Judith Street. They encountered Allen inside the home. He violently resisted and fled. The deputies caught him hiding in a nearby backyard shed. One of the deputies was injured during the arrest.
When connected to the Bruin Drive crimes, Allen told detectives that he met the victim while she was walking. She invited him to her home, and she gave him money, he asserted. He said she also gave him a spare key.
And he asserted that the victim orally agreed to sexual relations with him – again, she could not speak English.
Allen pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His attorney asserted that Allen is schizophrenic and believed he had a consensual sexual relationship with the victim.
He waived a trial by jury, leaving it to 24th Judicial District Judge June Berry Darensburg to hear the evidence and render a verdict. Following the two-day trial, and after hearing testimony from psychiatrists for the state and the defense to determine whether Allen knew right from wrong when committing his crimes, Judge Darensburg found Allen guilty as charged after about ½ hour of deliberation on Oct. 16.
During the sentencing hearing on Nov. 18, Judge Darensburg rejected defense motions to overturn the verdict and grant Allen a new trial. In impact testimony, the victim’s sister thanked the court, the prosecution and the Sheriff’s Office for the work they did in the case.
Judge Darensburg sentenced Allen to 25 years in prison for sexual battery, without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence; seven years in prison for each of the three burglary charges; and, two years in prison for each of the attempted disarming of a police officer and resisting police by force or violence. For the two misdemeanors, she sentenced Allen to 30 days for resisting an officer and six months for criminal trespassing.
Judge Darensburg ran the sentences concurrent with each other, for a total of 25 years. Allen also will have to register as a sex offender.
Assistant District Attorneys Kristen Landrieu and Zach Grate prosecuted the case.