By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

LULING — A 45-year-old doctor, already charged with child pornography was indicted by the St. Charles Parish Grand Jury Thursday on 21 counts of possession of child pornography.

Dr. David Sampognaro was earlier arrested Jan. 13 by special agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office and deputies of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Sampognaro had worked at St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling, at the Family Doctors Clinic in Harvey and at West Jefferson Medical Center. He will be arraigned Tuesday befoe Judge Emile St. Pierre.

ICE special agents executed a search warrant at his residence on Jan. 9. During the search, Sampognaro’s home computer was seized, along with related storage media and documents.

A later analysis revealed that Sampognaro allegedly had images of child pornography stored in his computer, which led to his Jan. 13 arrest. An ICE press release claimed Sampognaro had two interviews with investigators, during which he discussed his child pornography activities.

&#8220Child pornography data stored on computers ultimately leads us to find and arrest predators who harm children,” said Michael A. Holt, special agent-in-charge of ICE in New Orleans. &#8220ICE will continue to work with State’s Attorneys General and local sheriff’s offices and police departments to hold accountable those who prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”

The case was sent to 29th Judicial District Attorney Harry Morel Jr., who turned it over to the St. Charles Parish Grand Jury.

This arrest is part of ICE’s Operation Predator, a comprehensive national initiative to protect children. Operation Predator targets human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers and foreign national predators whose crimes make them deportable.

Since Operation Predator began in July 2003, more than 6,800 people have been arrested, and more than 2,100 foreign nationals have been deported. At latest count, 26 arrests have been made under Operation Predator in Louisiana.

More information about Operation Predator is available at www.ice.gov. ICE encourages the reporting of suspected child predators through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, at 1-800-843-5678 or at http://www.cybertipline.com.