| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 1323 | 2016-12-09 | Troop B | Three New Orleans Residents Arrested for Sex Trafficking of Children |
TROOP B - NEWS RELEASE Three New Orleans Residents Arrested for Sex Trafficking of Children Orleans Parish – Louisiana State Police Detectives assigned to the Bureau of Investigations Special Victims Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Police Department, US Marshall Service and Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation related to commercial sex trafficking in the New Orleans area. Three individuals were arrested and charged with Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes; Kendrick Pigott (age 29), Gregory Russell (age 31) and Tiara Smothers (age 20). All three were arrested on Thursday, December 08, 2016 and have been booked into the Orleans Parish Lock-Up. Pigott was also charged with seven counts of Non-Compliance related to his Sex Offender Registry Obligations and one count of Unlawful Use of a Social Networking Website. The investigation began in September 2016, after a 17 year old female was recovered in a downtown New Orleans hotel while engaged in commercial sexual activity with Smothers. The 17 year old had been reported missing from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services custody seven weeks prior. Further investigation revealed that Pigott was the ring leader of a commercial sex trafficking enterprise and Russell was a co-conspirator who assisted in the sexual exploitation by renting hotel rooms and performing a security role for the enterprise. The case remains under investigation. “We continue to witness our children being preyed upon by these predators,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “I urge the public to report anything that may seem suspicious or out of place. Investigations that combat child sex trafficking often involve the public’s assistance and by working together more children can be rescued.” If citizens have information related to criminal activity, they are encouraged to use the “See Something Send Something” application which will connect them and their mobile devices to criminal intelligence centers nationwide. “See Something Send Something” is a nationwide suspicious activity reporting (SAR) tool for citizens to help in the fight against terrorism and criminal activity. Additionally, the free app has information on what to look for and when to submit suspicious activity reports along with how to receive important alerts. The application can be found at My Mobile Witness, Inc. please visit http://www.mymobilewitness.com/consumer-services.php. This system is not intended for emergency situations. For situations requiring an immediate response, call 911 or your local law enforcement directly. The Louisiana State Police on-line reporting system is also available to the public through a convenient and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. Citizens can access the form by visiting www.lsp.org and clicking the Suspicious Activity link.
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