On a somber Thursday in Jefferson Parish, justice was delivered in the case of Thomas Welty, convicted of the sexual abuse and trafficking of two young girls. As reported by the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office, on May 27, Welty was found guilty of a series of charges related to the exploitation of two teenagers, including second-degree rape and trafficking children for sexual purposes. Welty, a 46-year-old former resident of Metairie, was handed a 30-year sentence by Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach.
Sentencing him further for numerous offenses, Welty's punishment for indecent behavior with a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile were set at seven and ten years, respectively, with an additional ten years for sexual battery. According to the District Attorney's Office, these sentences will run concurrently. The disheartening actions of Welty, spanning from 2019 to 2021, began to unravel when the victims were merely 15.
According to the District Attorney's Office, in a poignant reflection of resilience and the pursuit of personal closure, one of the victims submitted a written statement, which Assistant District Attorney LaShanda Webb read aloud in court. "I choose to forgive what you’ve done, but not for you," the victim bravely declared. "I’m forgiving you for myself, because at the end of the day I need to heal – not you." Offering a view into the victim's journey to regain autonomy over her body and being, she expressed a profound thought: "I was so grateful to learn that every seven years, every cell in your entire body is being replaced,” she added. “And with that being said, how great is it to know that I will finally have a body you will have never touched."
District Attorney's Office to safeguard the victims' future, Judge Kovach also imposed a stay-away order against Welty that is to last 100 years. Further reinforcing the weight of his crimes, he is mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his days. While addressing the victims directly, Judge Kovach acknowledged their courage and the credibility of their testimony, saying they "testified extremely creditably," and asserting that their "bravery impressed the court."
