By Pat Culverhouse
An arrest of a West Monroe man following a traffic stop in Ohio earlier this week has put the cap on a Webster Parish investigation which began in October of last year, according to Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker.
Jessy Lee Dean, 25, is now being held in Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on two counts of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and two counts of indecent behavior with juveniles. His bond has been set at $110,000.
Dean, a reported registered sex offender, is accused of using the social media site SnapChat to make contact with a 14-year-old Webster Parish female, claiming he was 19 years old.
Major Bobby Igo III, head of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, said detectives were informed of the alleged incident in October and immediately began gathering evidence.
Detectives Lt. Chase Wimberly and Sgt. Josh McCormick learned Dean made Internet contact with the juvenile and made arrangements to meet. He reportedly transported the juvenile and her 13-year-old brother to a secluded area where he allegedly made sexual advances toward the female.
Dean reportedly was identified as the aggressor through a cell phone video of the incident. Detectives reportedly contacted Dean and made arrangements for him to be interviewed, but he fled to Ohio.
Amherst, Ohio police reportedly stopped Dean for a traffic violation last week and after running his name through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), discovered he was wanted on a Webster Parish warrant.
“We were notified by the police in Ohio that they had Dean in custody, and to go and pick him up was a trip we were happy to make,” Igo said.
During questioning Wednesday, Dean reportedly admitted he was in the vehicle with the two juveniles. He was taken to the parish prison and booked on the charges.
“Detectives Wimberly and McCormick did a very good job of staying with this case from the beginning,” Igo said. “To solve a case, we’re always going to do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes…especially when it involves our children.”
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.