Kenner police say a 23-year-old man is behind bars after a cyber tip led investigators to a home in the Holly Heights neighborhood, where they allege they found child sex abuse material on multiple electronic devices.
Officers with the Kenner Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence on Wednesday and say they seized several devices that investigators allege contained explicit images of children under 13. The suspect, identified as Tommy Munoz, was booked into the Kenner City Jail on 66 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, according to police.
Investigation Sparked By State Cyber Tip
According to the Kenner Police Department, the case began when the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s cyber crime unit sent a cyber tip that triggered a multi-agency investigation, as reported by WGNO. Detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) lab task force carried out the search warrant at the Holly Heights home, where they say they recovered devices containing explicit images of children. Kenner police identified the suspect as Munoz, 23, and said he was booked on 66 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said in a department statement that crimes against children will be aggressively pursued.
Orleans Metro ICAC Task Force Steps In
The arrest comes as the recently formed Orleans Metro Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, based at the Kenner Police Department and announced in February, has started coordinating investigations among local, state and federal partners, Fox 8 reported. The task force was created to speed up forensic work on cyber tips and allow agencies to pool technical resources when suspected child exploitation material surfaces online. Officials say having a regional hub for digital forensics shortens the time between receiving a tip and making an arrest.
Part Of A Wider Regional Crackdown
Authorities across southeast Louisiana have recently brought several online child exploitation cases to court as the ICAC network expands. Earlier this month, a Laplace man was arrested on multiple child pornography counts following an ICAC investigation, according to L'Observateur, highlighting a regional uptick in cases handled by the task force and its partner agencies. Investigators say coordinated leads, combined with forensic analysis, are resulting in faster arrests.
Police Tell Parents: Watch Those Devices
Kenner police are urging parents to keep a close eye on their children’s online activity and to report any suspicious behavior to law enforcement, per WGNO. The department says the investigation is still active, and additional charges or arrests could follow as detectives continue their forensic review of the seized devices.
Munoz remains in custody while investigators continue their work, and Kenner police have not released further details about the probe. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Kenner Police Department or local tip lines.
