AMITE — Jury selection begins today in the sex-abuse trial of a one-time pastor at a now-defunct Ponchatoula church, eight months after another church member was convicted of rape.
Louis Lamonica is charged with four counts of aggravated rape for allegedly abusing his two young sons when they were 11 years old or younger. Conviction carries an automatic life prison sentence.
Lamonica and Austin “Trey” Bernard III are among seven former members of the Hosanna Church indicted in 2005 for allegedly having sex with Lamonica’s sons and Bernard’s daughter over several years.
Bernard is serving a life sentence after being convicted of aggravated rape.
Attorneys say jury selection will take two to three days in Amite.
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