Louisiana Man Charged With Attempted Kidnapping Of Child

A Louisiana Sheriff says they have arrested a man on attempted kidnapping charges after they say he admitted to trying to lure at least one child into his car by using money.

Officials say they received a complaint on Sunday, January 26, from a father who says he and his child were at a public park with friends when he says his child says a man in a car called the kids over to the vehicle by waving money in their direction.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Gary Driskell says the child was able to give deputies a description of the man and the vehicle, and his deputies started investigating the case. Driskell says another complaint was then made about something similar.

Sheriff Driskell says that on Sunday, February 2, they received another complaint about a similar situation, and he says they already had a suspect via video surveillance and other investigative practices, and they brought 85-year-old Lanny Theriot in for questioning. A press release from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office says,

Theriot made statements that he intended to get the juvenile in the car for lewd behavior with the juvenile.

Officials with the Sheriff's Office then arrested Theriot on the following charges:

• Attempted Kidnapping
• Attempted Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile

The Bayou Vista man was booked into the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center Sunday night. Officials say no bond has been set in reference to the case yet.

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