Cyber Crime Sweep Nabs Fugitive in Michigan and Repeat Offender

BATON ROUGE, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry today announced the arrests of five men on over 300 counts of sexual exploitation of children.

“The Louisiana Department of Justice is doing all we can to make our State a safer place,” said General Landry. “Despite threats of further budget cuts, our Cyber Crime Unit remains steadfastly committed to taking child predators off the streets.”

Nathan Stover, 24 of Franklinton, was arrested for 250 counts of Sexual Abuse Images and/or Videos of Children (under the age of 13). He was arrested by Michigan State Police as a fugitive from Louisiana. He was then extradited and booked into the Washington parish Jail as a result of a joint investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit and Michigan State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Franklinton Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police.

Michael Cochran, 58 of Marrero, was arrested on 30 counts of Sexual Abuse Images and/or Videos of Children (under the age of 13). He was arrested and booked into the Jefferson Parish Jail as a result of a joint investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police.

Bruce Hathaway, 59 of Baton Rouge, was arrested on 15 counts of Sexual Abuse Images and/or Videos of Children. Hathaway was previously arrested by General Landry’s Office on charges of child pornography. He pled guilty on those charges and was remanded to the Department of Corrections; however before reporting, he was allegedly downloading more sexual abuse images and/or videos which resulted in this arrest. He was arrested and booked into the Caldwell Parish Department of Corrections Facility as a result of a joint investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge Police Department, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Grayson Police Department, and Louisiana State Police.

Leonard Austin Barbay, 18 of Sunshine, was arrested on 18 counts of Sexual Abuse Images and/or Videos of Children. He was arrested and booked into the Iberville Parish Jail as a result of a join investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Shelly Stratton, 20 of Baton Rouge, was arrested on one count of Distribution of Sexual Abuse Images and/or Videos of Children (under the age of 13). He was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison as a result of a joint investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

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