Five Missing Teen Girls Found, Sex Offenders Arrested In 2-Month Operation

Five missing teenage girls aged between 14 and 17 were found in an operation in the New Orleans area that lasted for more than two months, authorities said. At least 30 people were also arrested in the operation, including wanted sex offenders.

In a statement, the U.S. Marshals Service said 17 of the 30 arrests were for “felony sex offender registration violations.”

The statement added that in the operation that lasted from mid-October to Dec. 24, five “missing/endangered” teenagers were rescued. “Operation Boo Dat 2021” included the recovery of a 16-year-old girl who ran away from the Jefferson Parrish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and left her home in Marrero after allegedly “stealing a relative’s vehicle and a handgun.”

Among the arrested individuals was “Tier 3 Sex Offender" Lorenzo Oliver who had a felony warrant in relation to the alleged rape of a 12-year-old victim. Tier 3 is the most serious classification among sex offenders. James Sorrell, another sex offender wanted for his “Failure to Register as a Sex Offender conviction,” was also arrested during the operation.

Authorities also arrested other wanted individuals including Lamonte Versill Morris, David Douglas Smith, James E. Muse, Anthony Roberts and Kuimar Stephens.

A 17-year-old girl who was wanted for a human trafficking case was also arrested. “She is known to have prior ties to several female runaways from New Orleans as well as ties to organized gang activities,” the statement said.

Two of the rescued girls were sisters, aged 15 and 16, and may have become victims of criminal sexual activities, authorities said, KTVU reported. One of the arrested sex offenders was not identified by the authorities but the suspect was allegedly convicted on two counts of molesting a 12-year-old in 2004. He also reportedly failed to report for international travel to Ethiopia. The 2006 Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act mandates sex offenders to register with the National Sex Offender Registry, CNN reported.

They are also required to update their registration information whenever they travel or move to a different location.

The Louisiana State Police and other local agencies helped during the investigations, The Charlotte Observer reported.

The New Orleans Police Department, USMS New Orleans Task Force, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office also helped in the operation.