Lake Charles, Louisiana - On March 21, Judge David Ritchie sentenced Derrick J. Cotlong, 45, of Lake Charles to a total of 16 years in prison after finding him to be a second or subsequent Habitual Offender. The sentence follows Cotlong's September 2023 conviction on multiple charges, including violation of a protective order and resisting law enforcement.

Cotlong was found guilty of one count of Violation of a Protective Order-2nd Offense and two counts of Resisting an Officer with Force or Violence. Judge Ritchie, presiding in Calcasieu Parish, handed down sentences of four years for the protective order violation and six years for each count of resisting an officer, ordering that these sentences run consecutively.

The case stems from incidents in 2023 when Cotlong violated a lifetime protective order that had been issued in 2021. This order explicitly prohibited him from coming within 100 yards of the victim, her residence, or her educational institution. Despite these legal restrictions, Cotlong drove to the victim's school in an apparent attempt to see her.

When law enforcement responded to the scene, the situation escalated as Cotlong became verbally aggressive, necessitating his detention by officers. The confrontation led to additional charges of resisting officers with force or violence.

In a separate incident, Cotlong also pleaded guilty to Simple Battery, for which he received a six-month prison sentence. This sentence will run concurrently with his Habitual Offender sentence, meaning he will serve this time simultaneously with the longer sentences.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant District Attorneys Jordan Sutterfield and Kadence Huber, representing the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office.

A "Habitual Offender" designation in Louisiana refers to individuals with prior felony convictions, allowing courts to impose enhanced penalties based on their criminal history.