Kenner detectives arrest June's third online sex offender suspect

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William. B Mercier, a 34-year-old from Bogue Chitto, Miss., faces at least one count of computer-aided solicitation for sexual purposes and one count of pornography involving juveniles for his suspected courting of detective Robert McGraw.

McGraw is a department veteran specialized in cyber crimes who had been posing as an underage Kenner girl in an online chat room on April 16, 2008, when someone using the screen name "brad_mercier2000" began chatting with him.

As the back-and-forth played out, "brad_mercier2000" asked McGraw's juvenile female persona to have sex with him, authorities said.

Later, Mercier contacted the department's underage persona via telephone and masturbated during the conversation, said Lt. Wayne McInnis, a department spokesman.

Mercier, who is the 46th suspected sex offender arrested by Kenner's cyber crimes unit, also asked "her" to transmit naked pictures of "herself" to him online, McInnis said.

On Wednesday, members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigations and Lincoln County Sheriff's office arrested Mercier at his home in Bogue Chitto.

For full story, go to: Kenner detectives arrest June's third online sex offender suspect - Breaking News from New Orleans - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com