A 57-year-old correctional deputy from Jonesville is facing multiple child sex crime charges after Louisiana State Police Special Victims Detectives arrested him Friday, October 16, following an investigation that began with a complaint from the Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Office. William Dennis Boyd was booked into the Catahoula Parish Detention Center on two counts of sexual battery of a juvenile and one count of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.
According to a news release from Louisiana State Police, the Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Office reported a complaint in September about potential sex crimes involving one of its employees. The complaint was investigated by Special Victims Detectives with the Special Investigations Group's Alexandria field office. Detectives ultimately secured arrest warrants for Boyd, and he was taken into custody and processed into the detention center on Friday, October 16.
State police say the investigation remains active and ongoing, and the findings will be submitted to the Catahoula Parish District Attorney's Office for review and potential prosecution.
Sheriff Vows Accountability After Arrest of His Own Employee
Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards said the arrest of a correctional center employee demonstrates that no one is above the law. He said his office holds employees to high standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct, and that allegations of misconduct will be taken seriously and addressed appropriately. Edwards added that his office will cooperate with investigators and work to protect the integrity of both Catahoula Correctional Center and the sheriff's office itself.
Boyd's arrest lands amid renewed scrutiny of Catahoula Correctional Center. In May, former top administrators at the facility — including its former warden and assistant warden — were indicted in a federal abuse investigation. KNOE 8 News reported that Edwards gave an update on indictments involving correctional-center officers.
As with any arrest, the charges against Boyd remain allegations unless and until proven in court.
Department Juggling Strained Resources
The arrest also comes as Catahoula Parish law enforcement has reported being stretched thin. In a June annual public safety report, Edwards said drug-related offenses, 80 failure-to-appear warrant bookings, and roughly 50 domestic abuse arrests heavily strained department resources over the preceding year, according to The Jena Times.
Louisiana State Police Special Victims Detectives work broadly to rescue victims and pursue justice in cases involving child exploitation and human trafficking for sex or labor. The agency is encouraging anyone with information to submit a tip through its anonymous online reporting form, available by visiting la-safe.org and clicking “Suspicious Activity,” which routes submissions to the appropriate investigators. Louisiana State Police Public Affairs media contact Casey Wallace can be reached at 318-239-0916.
