Louisiana sheriff’s deputy, school teacher wife arrested on child porn charges

LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (WAFB) A high-ranking Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy and his wife, a Livingston Parish school teacher, have been arrested and accused of child rape and the production of child pornography, among other disturbing charges.

Among the evidence seized in the case are photos that show the two suspects nude with an unclothed child, a source familiar with the case said.

Dennis Perkins, 44, and Cynthia Perkins, 34, were arrested Wednesday, Oct. 23 as the result of a criminal probe headed up by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.

Dennis Perkins, known as Denny, was a lieutenant with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit (SWAT) before being terminated the week of Oct. 21. He was hired in 2002 from the Walker Police Department.

He is also charged with obstruction of justice after allegedly tossing his cell phone into a river in north Louisiana after finding out investigators were there to take him into custody, a source familiar with the case said.

His wife resigned Wednesday morning from her position as a teacher at Westside Junior High School in Walker.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says Denny Perkins is charged with 60 counts of production of pornography involving a juvenile under the age of 13, two counts of first degree rape, three counts of possession of pornography involving a juvenile under the age of 13, two counts of video voyeurism, and two counts of obscenity.

Cynthia Perkins is charged with 60 counts of production of pornography involving a juvenile under the age of 13 and two counts of first degree rape. She’s being held on a $500,000 bond.

Both arrests were the result of a joint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI), Louisiana State Police, and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Landry said. The investigation was initiated following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the possible possession and distribution of child pornography.

“It is a sad day for us, for all law enforcement officers, when you arrest one of your own,” Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said Wednesday. “We at the LPSO work hard every day to retain the trust placed in us by our citizens. I understand this was a veteran law enforcement officer, one who had dedicated a lot of time and effort into this community, but as I have said in the past, no one is above the law. This type of alleged behavior will not be tolerated by me or anyone at the LPSO. I do not condone these alleged acts. I am disappointed. I have always considered Denny a friend and a family member. The Attorney General’s Office is leading this investigation. We are assisting and offering to cooperate in any way we can.”

Denny Perkins was initially booked into the Sabine Parish Jail at 11:51 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 on a charge of obstruction of justice, records show.

Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office apprehended him while he was on a fishing trip in Toledo Bend. He was picked up again Wednesday afternoon to be transferred to Livingston Parish. He was booked into Livingston Parish Wednesday evening with a bond of $1,675,000, then transferred to Ascension Parish shortly thereafter for his own safety.

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