Former Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Employee Arrested in Louisiana After Investigators Allege Child Sex Abuse Material Possession and Online Solicitation of Minors

PONCHATOULA, LA — A former Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office employee has been arrested after Louisiana State Police say a cyber tip led investigators to allegations involving child sex abuse materials and online contact with minors.

Authorities say Gavin Lyvers, 34, of Ponchatoula, was taken into custody Friday as part of a joint investigation with Homeland Security Investigations. State police say the case began in September after HSI received a tip about child sex abuse materials being shared on social media.

Lyvers is accused of using a social media account to communicate with minors and to solicit child sex abuse materials in exchange for items of monetary value. He was booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.

How the investigation began with a cyber tip

Louisiana State Police said the investigation started after Homeland Security Investigations got a cyber tip in September. The tip involved suspected child sex abuse materials connected to social media activity, prompting detectives to look deeper into the account in question.

Investigators later identified the account as belonging to Lyvers, according to state police. From there, they say the inquiry expanded beyond the online material itself and into alleged communications with minors.

The case reflects the way digital tips can quickly become criminal investigations when they point to possible exploitation online. In this instance, police say the account was tied directly to a person already known in the community through his longtime employment with the sheriff’s office.

What investigators say Lyvers did online

State Police allege that Lyvers used the social media platform to communicate with minors and seek child sex abuse materials. Investigators also say he offered items of monetary value in exchange for the material.

That allegation is central to the charges now filed against him. Police have not released additional details about the nature of the communications or identified any of the minors they believe may have been contacted.

Authorities are also not saying publicly how many online interactions are believed to be part of the case. What they have said is that the investigation involved both possession of illegal material and computer-based solicitation of a minor.

The charges filed after the arrest

Lyvers faces two counts of child sex abuse materials, five counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, and five counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. Those charges reflect both the alleged possession of illegal content and the alleged attempts to contact or persuade minors online.

He was arrested Friday and processed into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail. State Police have not said whether additional charges are possible, but investigators are asking anyone with information about potential additional victims to come forward.

The arrest came after a joint effort involving Louisiana State Police and Homeland Security Investigations. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office officials also assisted in taking Lyvers into custody, according to the department.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office says he was terminated

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Lyvers had worked for the department for 14 years. JPSO also said he has been terminated following the arrest and investigation.

That employment history gives the case added attention in southeast Louisiana, where the sheriff’s office is one of the region’s most visible law enforcement agencies. Officials said the crimes he is accused of were committed in Tangipahoa Parish, not Jefferson Parish.

Even so, JPSO said its personnel helped state police as they moved to arrest him. The department has not said what role, if any, Lyvers held at the time the investigation began.

State Police are asking for possible additional victims

Investigators say they want to hear from anyone who may have had contact with Lyvers or who believes they may have information about additional victims. That request suggests the case could grow as detectives continue sorting through the online evidence.

People with information can report it anonymously through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system at la-safe.org by selecting the