LaPlace man linked to 50 child porn images

Published 12:07 am Saturday, June 18, 2016

LAPLACE — A local man with dozens of reported images depicting child pornography is part of the largest Louisiana State Police bust of its kind, authorities said.

Steven Paul Lucia

Steven Paul Lucia

Steven Paul Lucia, 30, of LaPlace, was arrested June 10 following a raid on his home led by Louisiana State Police New Orleans Field Office detectives, along with the assistance of the Louisiana Department of Justice, United States Office of Homeland Security and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said Lucia’s arrest, along with two others, led to the largest seizure of child pornography by the Louisiana State Police, totaling more than 1 million illicit files seized. During the course of the search warrants, Troopers seized more than 800 DVDs, 13 portable storage devices, numerous cell phones and multiple laptop computers.

State Police Sgt. Jared L. Sandifer said investigators believe Lucia downloaded approximately 50 images of child pornography, some depicting children as young as 10 years old.

Authorities do not believe the images found at Lucia’s home depict local children, and Sandifer said investigators do not believe Lucia was distributing the images to others.

A forensics analysis of the suspect’s electronic devices is ongoing.

Sandifer declined to comment when asked what alerted authorities to the suspect, adding Lucia has been cooperative and admitted to investigators he downloaded the images.

The search warrant at Lucia’s home led to his arrest for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, pornography involving juveniles and contempt of court out of St. John Parish. He was freed Sunday after posting a $28,150 bond.

State Police said the electronic devices seized last week from the three separate suspects all contained lewd and lascivious pornographic images and videos of children. Within the seized files, Troopers discovered videos that depicted the rape of infant children.

The arrested were part of three separate statewide investigations focusing on the production and distribution of child pornography in Louisiana.

State Police Superintendent Colonel Mike Edmonson said the Special Victims Unit was created to focus on rescuing victims and targeting perpetrators of crimes involving the exploitation of children and the trafficking of humans for sex or labor.

Authorities encourage anyone with any additional information pertaining to their investigations to contact the Louisiana State Police at 318-484-2194.

Others arrested include:

• Detectives with the State Police Shreveport Field Office executed a search warrant June 10 at the residence of 51-year-old James Dalton Vail of Shreveport. Vail was found in possession of more than 1 million illicit files. Vail was subsequently arrested and booked into the Caddo Correctional Center for 51 counts of distribution of pornography involving juveniles and 1,500 counts of possession of child pornography.

• Detectives with the State Police Alexandria Field Office, with the assistance of the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant June 8 at the residence of 35-year-old Nicholas Bordelon of Hessmer. The warrant resulted in the arrest of Bordelon for more than 300 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography.