[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish deputies search for man wanted in rape of juvenile

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish deputies search for man wanted in rape of juvenile
By The Times-Picayune 
January 15, 2010, 5:04PM

St. Bernard Parish authorities are searching for a man accused of raping a
juvenile girl more than a decade ago. The alleged victim, now in her early
20s, told sheriff's deputies the man recently tried to contact her through a
social networking website.

A warrant was issued for John Jason Wallace, 40, who had most recently been
living in Shreveport, the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office said. He is sought
for aggravated rape of a juvenile.

Chief Criminal Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said in a news release that the
woman told investigators that Wallace had sexually abused her numerous times
when she was 10 years old. The alleged abuse occurred when Wallace was
living in Chalmette.

Maj. Darlene Poche, head of the sheriff's Juvenile Division which has been
investigating the case since the woman came forward at the end of last year,
said the victim was scared by Wallace's attempts to reach out to her through
her social networking site. "We are concerned with this guy e-mailing her,''
Poche said.

Wallace, who has spent time in prison and is on probation for theft over
$20,000, has left the area where he had been living in Shreveport and is
wanted there as a probation violator, Pohlmann said.

Anyone with information on Wallace's whereabouts should call the St. Bernard
Sheriff's Office at 504.271.2501 or Crimestoppers at 822-1111.