LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) – Lamar County Sheriff Danny Rigel and Attorney General Lynn Fitch have announced the successful completion of an operation meant to stop child predators in Lamar County.
The goal of Operation Predator’s End was to protect children online, and it saw the arrest of two individuals for charges related to child exploitation and grooming, the seizure of three devices, and the gain of valuable leads.
Sammie Daniel McLaurin, 52, from Carthage, is charged with grooming of a child. John Calvin Evans, Jr., 33, from Hattiesburg, is charged with child exploitation. McLaurin’s bond was set at $25,000, and Evans’ bond was set at $250,500.
“Investigations like these take a concentrated effort by many agencies, and we are grateful for General Fitch and her office’s partnership. We are proud to have such a great relationship with our state, local, and federal partners,” says Rigel.
The Attorney General’s Office is the host agency for Mississippi’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The force is composed of nearly 90 law enforcement agencies and 145 law enforcement personnel from across the state to address threats to Mississippi children.
This is an ongoing investigation. More arrests could be made.
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