A joint investigation between the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Operations Division has led to the arrest of a registered sex offender.
Joe F. Palmer, 57, of Reiny Circle in Springhill, was arrested August 26 on four counts of distribution of pornography involving juveniles and possession of pornography involving juveniles. According to WPSO Sheriff Jason Parker, BPSO contacted his office with information relating to a child pornography case.
“Over the next two months we worked closely together to establish the location and identity of the individual because the information received gave investigators only a certain area of interest,” Parker said. “WPSO began to conduct surveillance in a general area around Springhill and was evidentially able to identify the location of interest. WPSO conducted numerous hours of surveillance and was able to pinpoint the individual who was downloading the pornography.”
Around mid-afternoon on August 5, WPSO CID and Narcotics Division reportedly approached a red truck outside a business in Springhill where they made contact with Palmer.
“Palmer was in possession of several electronic devices which were seized by WPSO,” the sheriff said. “Palmer admitted to investigators they would find child pornography on his electronic device.”
Palmer had been convicted in 2018 for indecent behavior with juveniles and was currently on parole. He was arrested by Probation and Parole for violation of his conditions and booked at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
“A search warrant was issued for Palmer’s devices and, with the assistance of BPSO Digital Forensics Unit, he was found to be in possession of 51,963 files of child pornography,” Parker said. “File downloads of material contained 25, 226 unduplicated files of pornography involving juveniles under the age of 17.”
The sheriff said Palmer was found to be listed as Louisiana’s top child pornography downloader.
Palmer was arrested at BDCC on the above charges. He is currently being held on a $500,000 bond.
