State Troopers arrest a wanted California sex offender and located four children reported missing, authorities said.
According to Master Trooper Brooks David, Louisiana State Police were informed by the US Marshals Service that a wanted California sex offender could possibly be traveling through Louisiana.
37-year-old Joseph F. Moreno was wanted out of Dos Palos, California on charges of sexually assaulting a child, according to a news release.
http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html
State Police said they believed Moreno was traveling with 37-year-old Penny L. Rascon and her four children, ages four, six, seven, and eight-years-old. The four children were all listed as missing out of California.
David said State Police broadcasted the wanted person information to all law enforcement across a three Troop area along the I-10 corridor.
Shortly after 7 a.m., two Troopers from State Police I who had been working closely with the US Marshal Service said they spotted Moreno at a convenience store off of exit 76 near I-10 in Acadia Parish.
Troopers arrested Moreno and placed in in the rear of a police unit and then said they located Rascon and her four children in a vehicle in the far corner of a parking lot near several 18-wheelers.
Troopers arrested Rascon and immediately took custody of the four children, according to a news release.
Troopers said they were able to tell that the children were hungry and had not bathed in several days.
According to David, the troopers immediately purchased food and drinks for all four children and transported them to Troop I headquarters where the children were given blankets, pillows, and toys to play with.
LSP Troop I Communications Specialists and several on duty Troopers cared for and visited with the children to make them feel comfortable and safe.
Moreno and Rascon were transported to and booked into the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Moreno was booked on an active arrest warrant from California for three counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14.
Rascon was booked for child abduction.
A news release states that both are now awaiting extradition back to California and that the four children were released to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services personnel.
