Life sentence possible for offender found guilty of indecent behavior

SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) — A Slidell man has been found guilty in a 2019 case of indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of 13.

The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office responded, in August of 2019, to a complaint of inappropriate comments made to a juvenile by 47-year-old Antoine Asara Hartley. The mother also stated Hartley inappropriately touched the underaged victim.

The District Attorney’s office reported the victim and her sister would visit their neighbor to babysit their child and so did Hartley. The juvenile said they were uncomfortable around him because of statements such as “if you were older we would be dating.”

He reportedly said that while touching her breast and thigh.

Evidence presented at the trial was a video of Hartley blaming the sisters and admitting to the boyfriend comment. He says the statement was a scare tactic to keep the sisters away, claiming “the eleven-year-old was wearing a bikini one size too small and her sister would not keep her legs closed while wearing a skirt.”

Hartley had been released from jail only months prior after a conviction of forcible rape. He also has prior history of similar activity with:

• Two charges of molestation of a juvenile
• Aggravated battery
• Failure to register as a sex offender

His counsel made the argument that Hartley has learned his lesson because his lessons were 30 years ago. Sentencing for Antoine Asara Hartley is set for Feb. 16. He is facing faces life in prison without parole.