ASCENSION - The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office is searching for a former parish deputy wanted for three counts carnal knowledge of a juvenile, computer-aided solicitation of a minor, and unlawful use or access of social media. 

Todd Tripp, 31, was previously sentenced to four years in state prison after pleading guilty in late October of 2017 to indecent behavior with a juvenile and multiple counts of attempted child pornography possession.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Unit received a report on Tuesday, Sept. 29, about a registered sex offender having contact with a 16-year-old male juvenile who resides in another parish.

Detectives began an investigation and learned that Tripp met the victim on a social media dating site under a false name and began actively engaging with the juvenile. Investigators say Tripp met with the juvenile on at least three different occasions and engaged in sexual activity.

Tripp, who worked for the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for approximately 18 months in 2013, was terminated and arrested in September 2013 on charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile, possession of child pornography, 304 counts of child pornography, and felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

On March 26, 2015, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office received information from the Germantown Police Department in Germantown, Tennessee that they were investigating Tripp, who had been in contact with a 13-year-old male juvenile and was exchanging comments of sexual nature with the juvenile.

Detectives executed a search warrant on his residence and detectives located a nude photo of a juvenile and further analysis revealed that Tripp had been in communication with the 13-year-old juvenile. He was then rearrested on charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile, multiple counts of possession of child pornography, computer-aided solicitation of a minor, and carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

Tripp was sentenced to the Department of Corrections on December 18, 2017, and was released on March 12, 2019. Upon his release, he was placed on probation for a period of five years and required to register as a Tier II Sex Offender.

A Tier II Sex Offender is required to register as a sex offender for a period of 25 years to be registered bi-annually. As of September 2020, Tripp was compliant with his sex offender registration orders with the APSO Sex Offender Unit and is currently serving probation with the office of Probation and Parole.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 225-621-4636.