Police: Suspect in child exploitation operation arrived to meeting with 2-year-old

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - A Louisiana police department said it made 10 arrests in an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children operation, which began Oct. 23.

The Kenner Police Department said the undercover operation targeted adults who used social media and online apps to solicit minors for sexual purposes.

This is the department’s fourth operation this year, officials said.

How the arrests were made

Detectives said they made 10 arrests during this latest operation. Six of those suspects engaged in explicit sexual conversations with people they believed were underage girls, police said. When the suspects arrived at the arranged meeting place, they were met by Kenner police and arrested.

Four others were arrested on warrants.

Suspect arrived with 2-year-old child

One suspect, Jasmine Gatlin, 40, of New Orleans, arranged to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl, officials said. Undercover detectives told the suspect not to bring the 2-year-old with him, but he arrived with the child anyway, officials said.

Gatlin was arrested and the child was released into the care of the suspect’s grandmother, according to Kenner police. In addition to indecent behavior with a juvenile and computer-aided solicitation of a minor, Gatlin was charged with improper supervision of a minor by parent or legal custodian.

Those arrested

The 10 arrested in the operation were identified as:

• Douglas Glen Brown, 40, New Orleans
• Terrance Williams, 45, Des Allemands
• Dwayne Crisp, 43, New Orleans
• Troy Verrett Jr., 35, Marrero
• Jasmine Gatlin, 40, New Orleans
• Malcolm Richards, 39, New Orleans
• Kendrick Isom, 52, Vacherie
• Juan D. Gomez, 41, Kenner
• Tracey Rourke, 56, Gretna
• Paul Cordes III, 30, New Orleans

According to Kenner police, six suspects in the investigation are still at large.

• Thadis Misso II, 34, Union, Mississippi
• Dwayne Lewis, 43, Bridge City
• Leonardo Hernandez, 27, Weslaco, Texas
• Lloyd Allen, 32, Prairieville
• Baylee “Sabrina” Dawn Hogan, 27, Houston
• Russell Kyle Rouse, 37, Brunswick, Georgia

The 10 arrested individuals face indecent behavior with a juvenile and computer-aided solicitation of a minor charges. The six wanted individuals have outstanding warrants for those same offenses, officials said.

Police chief’s statement

“Every time we conduct one of these operations, we think we have seen it all. Bringing your own 2-year-old child to a meeting you believe is for sexual activity with a 15-year-old is beyond disturbing. Parents, we are trying our best to take these predators down, but we need your help. Please monitor your children on devices. They will thank you one day,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said.