A Jefferson Parish judge on Wednesday (Feb. 4) sentenced Mark Albarado to life in prison for his conviction of raping a juvenile.
Albarado, 50, of Marrero, was convicted by a jury on Jan. 14 of first-degree rape of a juvenile under age 13 and sexual battery of a juvenile under age 13.
“Mark, you will never be able to harm another child again,” the victim’s mother told Albarado in victim-impact testimony Wednesday.
At age 11, the victim initially disclosed the abuse to two step-siblings in March 2022, after one of the step-siblings watched a video about abuse. The victim disclosed that the abuse by Albarado occurred during the previous six years.
The victim’s mother learned of it the following day and notified the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. During the investigation, DNA tied to Albarado’s lineage was found on a pair of the victim’s undergarment.
The victim said the first instance of abuse occurred at a campground in Tangipahoa Parish, and the remaining incidents happened at a Marrero residence. Albarado denied abusing the child.
For the first-degree rape, Judge Lee Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court sentenced Albarado to a mandatory life in prison without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. For sexual battery, Judge Faulkner sentenced Albarado to 25 years in prison. The judge ran the sentences concurrently.
Assistant District Attorneys Theresa King and Erich Cathey prosecuted the case.