A former probation and parole officer who supervised St. Tammany felons was sentenced to five years in prison Monday for sexual abusing at least three of his female clients.

Moments before his trial was set to begin Monday, Shannon Stewart, 40, of Franklinton, pleaded guilty to four counts of malfeasance in office and three counts of sexual battery, defined as touching a women’s genitals without consent and punishable by up to 10 years in prison, District Attorney Walter Reed spokesman Rick Wood said.

Prosecutor Julie Knight was slated to call at least two victims as witnesses, Wood said. “Many times when a defendant sees victims in the courtroom they see the writing on the wall. That’s when they’ll make their decisions,” Wood said. “But they will wait for that last second.”

State District Court Judge Reginald “Reggie” Badeaux sentenced Stewart, a 17-year veteran of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, to five years on each count, Wood said. Each sentence will run concurrent, or at the same time, without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension.

Stewart spent five years of his 17-year employment with the Department of Corrections at its Covington office, working cases for the 22nd Judicial Court spanning Washington and St. Tammany parishes.

The abuses between January and March 2006, likely include more than three women, investigators have said.

While on visits to parolee’s homes, it is believed Stewart sometimes stole drug paraphernalia, a violation of parole, and threatened to expose the evidence to leverage sexual favors. Other females accused Stewart of stalking.

An investigation began May 10, 2006, when the state corrections department received a complaint. Stewart resigned July 21, 2006, after being placed on administrative leave. Stewart is also facing eight additional counts of malfeasance in office in Washington Parish. It’s unclear when he will stand trial on these charges.