An Egan man has been arrested in West Carroll Parish following an undercover investigation into the alleged solicitation of a juvenile for sex.
According to police, a professional watch group that provides services to child victims, CCUSA, had evidence in late July that James Regan was soliciting sex with a 13-year-old female. The watch group then contacted investigators.
An undercover investigator began looking into Regan, who made contact with him. The Oak Grove Police Department says Regan's conversation with the undercover investigator "quickly shifted to extremely explicit language and media." Regan allegedly sent sexually explicit photographs and videos to the "child." Based on those conversations, investigators secured an arrest warrant for Regan.
On August 9, police say Regan told the "child" that he was coming to get her to take her back to Egan. He allegedly provided a description of the car he was in and photos of the clothing he was wearing. Police say he also maintained contact throughout the 230-mile trip, providing who he thought was a 13-year-old with his location.
On August 10, Regan told the "child" he was at Walmart in Oak Grove. Based on his criminal history and outstanding warrants, OGPD and WCPSO conducted a felony stop on Regan in the store parking lot. Police say Regan was in the vehicle and was wearing the clothes he had described.
Regan was taken into custody without incident and booked into the West Carroll Parish Jail on the outstanding arrest warrant for indecent behavior with a juvenile and computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Police obtained search warrants for Regan's vehicle and cellphone, which were executed later on the evening of August 10. In his car, police say they found sexual-related paraphernalia, food he'd told the "child" he was getting, a .45 caliber handgun, and suspected methamphetamine. Police say his cell phone contained numerous photos and videos of child pornography and a video that contained sexual abuse of an animal.
Based on Regan's traveling to Oak Grove specifically to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old female and based on the search of his car, he was additionally charged with attempted felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, possession of a schedule II CDS- Methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Based on the search of his cell phone, he was charged with 39 counts of possession of child pornography and 1 count of sexual abuse of an animal.
As of August 11, Regan was in West Carroll Parish Jail with no bond. A warrant from the Crowley Police Department was also executed for an unrelated investigation.
The case will be forwarded to the Fifth District Attorney's Office for prosecution.
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