A Louisiana man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus was arrested after authorities claimed he used a dating app to meet up with a detective who was posing as a 15-year-old boy online.
The Kenner Police Department announced in a press release that Claus, 75, was arrested on Friday, June 26, on charges of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behavior with a juvenile.
He was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on June 26 and was given a bond of $20,000 for each charge, according to online records.
Claus was accused of initiating contact with an undercover detective who was posing as a 15-year-old boy on a dating application, according to the news release.
Investigators claimed that Claus discussed engaging in sexual acts before he arranged to meet the alleged teen. During the planned meetup, Claus was taken into custody by detectives without incident.
At the time of his arrest, Claus was sporting a thick head of white hair and donned a long beard.
“His physical appearance indicates he does take on the persona of the Santa Clause which is alarming considering he was attempting to have sex with a boy,” the release stated.
Claus’ arrest took place as part of an undercover child exploitation operation that was conducted by the Kenner Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division ICAC/Cyber Crimes Unit.
Police said that a total of 11 people were arrested as part of the operation.
The 11 people arrested were hit with charges including computer-aided solicitation of a minor, indecent behavior with a juvenile and indecent behavior involving grooming, per the release.
“All these defendants are a danger to our youth and society,” Chief Keith A. Conley said in a statement. “We preach daily about the vulnerability of our children on social media and gaming platforms and now we have arrested a person who dresses up as Santa Clause inviting parents to drop their young children in his lap for photo ops.”
Conley added, “This is a cautionary tale to parents and guardians.”
The agency also shared in the release that detectives have obtained warrants for 10 additional suspects. The suspect’s identities will be revealed once they are arrested and taken into custody.
It is not currently clear if Claus has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest. The Kenner Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding updates in the case.
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