AG arrests seven men in statewide child sex crime investigation

BATON ROUGE, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office has arrested seven men, including an illegal alien, for child pornography and other crimes against children.

Tomas Gabriel Chox-Lopez, 20, was reportedly living illegally in Lake Charles, was arrested on seven counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13.

The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Louisiana State Police (LSP), Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO), Sulphur Police Department (SPD), and Westlake Police Department (WPD). Chox-Lopez was previously deported and illegally returned to this country. A detainer has been placed on Chox-Lopez by HSI.

Byron Brown, 43, of Houma, was arrested on 61 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the LBI, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Pennsylvania State Police. Further investigation revealed Brown to be in communication with a third party in Pennsylvania regarding their mutual sexual interest in children and facilitating the sexual abuse of an identified child in Pennsylvania.

Robert Edmondson, 47, of Lake Charles, was arrested on 22 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the LBI, FBI, HSI, LSP, CPSO, and SPD. Edmondson, a registered sex offender, has additional charges pending from CPSO and SPD.

Mark Keefe, 37, of Leesville, was arrested on 200 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the LBI, LSP, SPD, Leesville Police Department, and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Nery Enrique Moreno Orellana, 45, of Lake Charles, was arrested on 2 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under 13 and 2 counts of possession pornography of juveniles over the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the LBI, HSI, LSP, CPSO, SPD, and WPD.

George Wannage, 26, of Iowa, was arrested on 14 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation of LBI, LSP, CPSO, SPD, and Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Reynolds, 55, of Slidell, was arrested on 51 counts of possessing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13, 20 counts of producing pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13, 2 counts of first degree rape of a juvenile under the age of 13, five counts of molestation of a juvenile under the age of 13, and one count of oral sexual battery of a juvenile under the age of 13. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation with the LBI, HSI, Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services, Slidell Police Department, and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Reynolds took in foster children and other people in need over many years. More unidentified victims are believed to exist; some abused as children would now be in their 20s.

General Landry encourages anyone with information regarding Reynolds to contact the LBI toll-free at 1-800-256-4506. Callers may remain anonymous.