By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – A St. Rose man was charged with possessing pornographic images of children following a State Police investigation last week that uncovered more than 100 computer files containing sexually explicit images of juveniles.

Joseph Carroll, 20, of 223 Eisenhower St., was arrested at his residence Thursday by St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s deputies acting on a State Police warrant, said State Police spokeswoman Melissa Matey. Carroll was booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility in Killona, where he was being held on a $30,000 bond.

Matey said authorities executed a search warrant of Carroll’s computer and found 162 videos and images of sexual exploitation of young children. She said the investigation began after detectives received information showing that Carroll was downloading images of child pornography on his personal computer.

“Louisiana State Troopers will continue to work in cooperation with other agencies throughout the state to ensure that our children are looked after,” Matey said in a release. “Through ‘Operation child watch,’ troopers will continue to pursue child predators and put them away so that they cannot continue to prey on the innocent children we have an obligation to protect.”