BATON ROUGE, LA – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry joined federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to announce the success of Operation Home School – a three-day operation to identify and apprehend individuals soliciting minors for sex.”Crimes against children are some of the most heinous imaginable; and as your Attorney General, I remain committed to doing all I legally can to bring child predators to justice,” said Attorney General Landry. “Operation Home School is a somber reminder of the dangers on the Internet and the importance of knowing whom your children are interacting with online.”

Operation Home School was conducted by members of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, East Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Louisiana. The Parish Sheriff Offices from Jefferson, Livingston, and St. Tammany provided assistance. Results of the Operation may be found below.

“The immoral and illegal attempts by predators to exploit our nation’s children have no place in our society,” said HSI New Orleans acting Special Agent in Charge Jack Staton. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to partner with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to pursue child predators in our communities.”

“There is no place in America for those who seek to exploit the lives of innocent children for illegal sexual fulfillment. One of the highest priorities of the FBI is to vigorously investigate and identify individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children,” said FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. “I would like to thank our partners with Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (Office of the Attorney General), Louisiana State Police (Special Victims Unit), East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Louisiana for their collaboration and efforts with Operation Home School.”

“Protecting children, the most vulnerable in our society, from those who seek to exploit them remains a top priority for our office. We are committed to prosecuting those offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” said acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana Ellison Travis. “Many thanks to our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners for their relentless efforts in this operation.”

“The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the partnerships we have with our local, state and federal counterparts in working to remove dangerous child predators from our communities,” said East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux. “I am committed to the continued dedication of personnel and resources to initiatives that ensure the safety of our children.”

Prayug Koirala, 25 of Thibodeaux, was arrested and charged with Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Nathanial Thomas, 23 of Denham Springs, was arrested and charged with Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Maverick Arnold, 27 of Denham Springs, was arrested and charged with Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The arresting agency for this investigation was the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Caissy Brumfield, 50 of Walker, was arrested and charged with Attempted First-Degree Rape. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Philip Evans, 49 of Marrero, was arrested and charged with Distribution of Child Pornography. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Richard Foster Jr., 36 of Walker, was arrested and charged with Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Joseph Key, 36 of Mandeville, was arrested and charged with Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The arresting agency for this investigation was the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Attorney General Landry encourages parents and guardians to visit www.AGJeffLandry.com/CyberSafety for tips to keep their families safe online.

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During the course of Operation Home School, an arrest unrelated to child exploitation was also made:

Immanuel Bailey, 32 of Prairieville, was arrested as a fugitive from East Feliciana Parish based on an active warrant charging Bailey with Principle to Second Degree Murder, Principle to Aggravated Burglary with a Weapon, and Principle to Aggravated Kidnapping. The arresting agency was the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office; they were assisted by Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Louisiana State Police Fugitive Task Force, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Fugitive Apprehension Unit.