Arrests, recoveries made during state-wide operations tackling sex offenders, missing children

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The results of two recent operations focused on missing and endangered children and sexual offenders, have been released.

Officials with the U.S. Marshals Office says the operation s were done in partnerships between the New Orleans Police Department, , Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana Probation and Parole, Homeland Security Investigations and the USMS New Orleans Task Force.

The NO Saint and Sinners operation lasted from May 4 to Aug. 31 and the Missing Child Unit (MCU) Operation Fresh Start ran from May 15 to Aug. 31.

The Marshals Office report over 65 felony arrests were made including:

• 26 being sex-based felony charges involving children
• 15 related to felony sex offender registration compliance violations
• Three related to murder or attempted charges
• Seven related to active child abuse warrants
• Three were made during the Orleans Parish Justice Center escape

Additionally, Operation Fresh Start led to the recovery of 15 missing or endangered children.

The Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Bureau of Investigations, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and FBI New Orleans Field Office gave assistance for fugitive investigations with tips provided by Crimestoppers.

Additional resources and funds were provided to the USMS New Orleans Task Force by the USMS Sex Offender Investigations Branch and USMS Missing Child Unit.

A the operations commenced, the USMS New Orleans Task Force continued to arrest violent offenders on warrants in partnership with local law enforcement and across the country.

Highlights of both operations, according to the U.S. Marshals Office, include:

• July 17 arrest of Christian Bert Fischer in New Orleans. Fischer was originally arrested in 2022 for allegedly traveling to meet a minor via the internet for sexual purposes. In 2024, he reportedly fled to New Orleans where he was arrested on Frenchmen Street.
• May 13 arrest of Evans Rogers in a Jefferson Parish hotel. Rogers was wanted on allegations of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons following a shooting that left a 9-year-old critically wounded. His associate, Devante Johnny Traylor was also arrested felon in possession of a firearm allegations.
• July 8 arrest of Jeffrey Alain Boone. Boone was wanted on a Louisiana Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Investigations warrant for 19 counts of pornography involving children under 13. He has been registered as a Tier 2 sex offender.
• July 17 arrest of Michael Bunch Harris. Harris was wanted on NOPD SVU warrant on allegations of trafficking children for sexual purposes, carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with juveniles.
• July 31 arrest of Mario Salvador Sorto-Selva. Sorto-Selva was arrested on allegations of first-degree rape of a child under 13. Marshals Office Officials reported he had been in the country illegally since 2008.
• Aug. 6 arrest of Derek Edward Franklin. Franklin was wanted by HSI on a federal warrant for alleged human sex trafficking.
• Aug. 12 arrest of Antionette Edwards Johnson. Johnson is accused of kidnapping a young family member of whom she had no legal custody. She was also wanted in 2024 for assault-child endangerment.
• June 30 recovery of a 17-year-old reported missing from Statham, Georgia. USMS MCU was alerted by NOPD SVU of the teen seen with adults frequenting hotels in “sex trafficking areas.” A woman was arrested during the investigation.
• June 20 recovery of 16-year-old missing/endangered child for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. Allegedly the teen suffered with mental issued and was known to possess a firearm and make suicidal statements. They were also on Probation in Jefferson Parish. Deputies state, the teen allegedly cut their ankle monitor on June 15 but was located in Mississippi.

“Every arrest and recovery reinforces our obligation to pursue justice, aiming to restore hope for victims while enforcing accountability on those who commit these crimes,” said Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Marshal Enix Smith III.

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