Clarence Lee Evans, a 45-year-old former officer of the New Orleans City Park Police, has been arrested and subsequently dismissed from his role due to allegations of inappropriate conduct with a minor. The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office has charged Evans with two counts of indecent behavior with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles. Evans was arrested on November 12 and is currently awaiting extradition to St. Landry Parish, where the alleged incidents took place.
The case against Evans centers on his alleged use of a surrogacy app, “Just a Baby,” to establish contact with the minor. The app is intended to help individuals seeking sperm donors or surrogates connect with potential matches. The charges against Evans stem from digital communications via the app and two meetings at hotels outside of New Orleans.
The Attorney General’s Office alleges that Evans arranged meetings with the minor in St. Landry Parish, a location over two hours away from New Orleans. It is claimed that Evans brought the minor to a hotel on two separate occasions and attempted manual insemination. Louisiana Attorney General, Liz Murrill, has described the case as deeply troubling and stressed that no one is exempt from the law.
The City Park Conservancy has confirmed that Evans, who had been with the City Park Police for approximately ten years, has been dismissed from his position. The organization has also committed to aiding authorities in their investigation. The identity of the minor involved has not been revealed, but local news outlet WDSU has reported that the girl was 12 years old.
Evans is currently detained in the Orleans Parish Justice Center, awaiting transfer to St. Landry Parish. He faces two counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and one count of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, all of which are felonies under Louisiana law.
The Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which has been increasing its collaborations with local agencies over the past year, assisted in Evans’ arrest. The task force and the Attorney General’s cyber and criminal divisions collaborated with parish authorities to secure warrants and book Evans in Orleans Parish.
The case will now proceed to St. Landry Parish, where a prosecutor will determine formal charges and a judge will schedule initial appearances. If prosecutors file a bill of information or seek a grand jury indictment, the first court setting could be scheduled within weeks.
The arrest of Evans has caused a stir in the community. At City Park, families and regular park visitors expressed their shock at the allegations. Meanwhile, in St. Landry Parish, residents expressed relief that the minor was safe and voiced their hope for justice to be served.