Opelousas Sex Offender Arrested For Facebook Use

A repeat sex offender from Opelousas was arrested yesterday after admitting to violating his probation by using social media.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff's spokesperson Maj. Eddie Thibodeaux reported 34-year-old Al James Sonnier was arrested for unlawful use of a social networking site.

Thibodeaux said authorities received an anonymous tip that Sonniier had re-established a Facebook account and had been updating his page regularly.

Sonnier was twice convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile. In 2007, Soniier was arrested in Texas for one of those counts.

Sonnier was found to have violated his probation and was given a $5,000 bond, but was denied bail until a hold is lifted from the probation office.

“The Sex Offender Unit has a zero tolerance of sex offenders not complying with the law. Sexual predators or sex offenders can use social media sites to physically stalk or exploit their intended victims," Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said. " Whether it is an offender, or a user, posting information about themselves, photos, or their activities, that information is used to learn about their targets' interests or entice the potential victims to add them as friends."