Juries found an Abita Springs man guilty of aggravated rape and a Bush man guilty of possessing child pornography this week.

Harold Jenkins, 76, was arrested July 11, 2008 after a then 20-year-old family member confided in another family member that he had been raping her since 2004. The family member then told the girl’s mother, who reported the rapes to police.

A jury formally indicted him on the charges on Oct. 23, 2008, and Thursday, after only 40 minutes of deliberation, a 12-member jury found him guilty as charged. District Judge William Crain sentenced him on the spot to life in prison. Nick Noriea Jr. prosecuted the case.

In a separate case, another 12-member jury found Andrew Galatas, 43, guilty of possessing child pornography and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

Galatas was arrested by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office in April 2006 after someone reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigations that Galatas has inappropriate images involving juveniles on his home computer.

When investigators searched his home, they found the pornographic images on his computer as well as 1 pound of marijuana and related paraphernalia.

The jury deliberated for a couple of hours Thursday before returning with the guilty verdict in District Judge William Knight’s courtroom. Scott Gardner prosecuted this case.

Galatas is scheduled to appear before Knight on Nov. 30 for sentencing.

Rick Wood, spokesperson for District Attorney Walter Reed, said Galatas could face life in prison if he is found to be a career criminal.

He has a long rap sheet that includes a conviction in 1999 for molestation and a conviction in 1996 for possession of stolen property, and issuing worthless checks, all out of St. Tammany Parish; and a conviction in 1987 for possession of stolen property out of Orleans Parish.