Ten people were arrested and six warrants were issued after Kenner police wrapped up an undercover operation targeting adults who use social media and other apps to solicit minors for sex. Police say some of the suspects engaged in explicit sexual conversations and arranged in-person meetings with people they believed were underage girls, only to be met by Kenner police arrest teams at the agreed-upon locations.
Fourth Sting of the Year Adds to Growing Caseload
According to WDSU, this marks the Kenner Police Department's fourth such operation of 2026, with the latest round resulting in six warrants issued on October 23. Police say the department has now opened 62 cases to date as part of its broader internet crimes against children investigations. Four additional people were arrested on outstanding warrants, while police say six more suspects remain at large.
Those taken into custody include Douglas Glen Brown, 40, of New Orleans; Terrance Williams, 45, of Des Allemands; Dwayne Crisp, 43, of New Orleans; Troy Verrett Jr., 35, of Marrero; Malcolm Richards, 39, of New Orleans; Kendrick M. Isom, 52, of Vacherie; Juan D. Gomez, 41, of Kenner; Tracey Rourke, 56, of Gretna; and Paul Cordes III, 30, of New Orleans. The six suspects with outstanding warrants were identified as Thadis Misso II, 34, of Union, Mississippi; Dwayne Lewis, 43, of Bridge City; Leonardo Hernandez, 27, of Weslaco, Texas; Lloyd Allen, 32, of Prairieville; Baylee “Sabrina” Dawn Hogan, 27, of Houston, Texas; and Russell Kyle Rouse, 37, of Brunswick, Georgia. The arrested suspects and those named in warrants face charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile and computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Suspect Allegedly Brought His Own Toddler to the Meeting
Among the most troubling cases, police say Jasmine M. Gatlin, 40, of New Orleans, was accused of arranging a meeting with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl. Police say an undercover detective had specifically told Gatlin not to bring his child to the meeting, but he showed up with his 2-year-old anyway. The child was released into the care of Gatlin's grandmother, and Gatlin now faces an added charge of improper supervision of a minor by a parent or legal custodian on top of the other charges.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said the circumstances surrounding the operation were deeply disturbing, and he urged parents to monitor their children's devices and online activity.
Part of a Pattern of Kenner Stings
This is not the department's first high-profile operation this year. In June, a weekend sting resulted in the arrest of a 75-year-old New Orleans man who goes by Santa Claus, who police say arranged to meet a 15-year-old boy who turned out to be an undercover Kenner detective, according to nola.com. That outlet reported 11 arrests in that operation, while WDSU's report on the same sting cited Chief Conley as saying 11 other arrests were made in addition to Santa Claus, implying a total of 12 — the two outlets have not reconciled the discrepancy. A separate Kenner operation reported by nola.com resulted in 12 men arrested in a monthslong undercover effort targeting people who allegedly sought sexual encounters with children online.
The scale of these recurring stings reflects a broader statewide trend. Louisiana reports of internet crimes against children rose from 171 in 2010 to 16,000 in 2024. Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of computer-aided solicitation of a minor is required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, according to the Louisiana Legislature.
Similar investigations have surfaced elsewhere. In Glynn County, Georgia, a 37-year-old Brunswick man was arrested on July 2, 2025, following an investigation begun in May 2025 into suspected internet crimes against children, according to Action News Jax. As for the latest Kenner cases, it remains unclear whether all six outstanding warrants will be executed or how the charges will ultimately be resolved.
