A 34-year-old Ponchatoula man who spent 14 years working for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office was arrested Friday following a joint investigation into child sexual abuse material, Louisiana State Police said. Gavin Lyvers now faces 12 counts across three separate charges after investigators allege he used a social media account to communicate with minors and solicit abuse material in exchange for money.
According to WGNO, the case began in September when Homeland Security Investigations received a cyber tip related to the alleged upload or download of child sexual abuse material tied to a social media account. State police said that account was identified as belonging to Lyvers. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said the alleged crimes occurred in Tangipahoa Parish.
Investigators allege Lyvers used the platform to communicate with minors and solicit child sexual abuse material “in exchange for items of monetary value,” per the same account. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Friday, charging him with two counts of possessing child sexual abuse materials, five counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, and five counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Arrest and Booking Details
Lyvers was taken into custody and processed into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail, the outlet's report notes. Louisiana law, under the state legislature's statute on child sexual abuse materials, makes it unlawful to produce, promote, advertise, distribute, possess, or possess with intent to distribute such material, though the specific factual basis behind each of Lyvers's individual counts has not been detailed publicly.
According to WDSU, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office assisted state police in taking Lyvers into custody. The agency confirmed he had worked for the department for 14 years and said he has since been terminated.
Investigation Remains Open
Louisiana State Police said the investigation is ongoing. Investigators have asked anyone who was contacted by Lyvers or who may know of potential additional victims to come forward, with information able to be reported anonymously through the state police's online reporting system at LA-SAFE.org under the “suspicious activity” category, according to WDSU's reporting.
