A Ruston man arrested last week after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is now facing hundreds of new charges after further investigation by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Thomas “Tommy” Wick, 22, originally arrested by LPSO detectives for four counts of distributing child sexual abuse material, is now facing hundreds of counts of possessing and distributing such material, as well as that of sexual abuse of animals.
Information about Wick came from a tip from the NCMEC, which employs analysts to investigate the presence of child sexual abuse material on the Internet.
On its website, missingkids.org, NCMEC emphasizes the crimes it investigates involve more than possessing or viewing pornography involving juveniles. For the images or videos to exist, children are sexually abused to produce the material that is then shared around the world.
On August 21, Wick was located at a residence near Ruston and taken to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning and subsequently charged with distributing child sexual abuse material. Initially, Wick’s bail was set at $250,000.
During the course of the investigation, authorities uncovered additional child sexual abuse material, which Wick allegedly had been distributing online. The material included disturbing content involving the actual sexual abuse of both children and animals.
Investigators also discovered Wick had been secretly recording individuals in public places without their consent for the purpose of sexual gratification. These incidents occurred in Lincoln Parish and in other states. LPSO is urging anyone who may have been a victim, or knows someone who may have been affected, to come forward and contact detectives.
On August 27, Wick was formally charged with the following offenses:
• 166 counts of Possession of child sexual abuse material (Victims under 13) Bail $200,000
• 166 counts of Distribution of sexual abuse material (Victims under 13) Bail $300,000
• 111 counts of Possession of child sexual abuse material. Bail $200,000
• 111 counts of Distribution of child sexual abuse material. Bail $300,000
• 41 counts of Video voyeurism. Bail $200,000
• 14 counts of Possession of sexual abuse material involving animals. Bail $100,000
• 14 counts of Distribution of sexual abuse material involving animals. Bail $100,000
Wick’s arrest is the result of a collaborative investigation with the Office of the Louisiana Attorney General Cyber Crime Unit. The Sheriff’s Office and the Ruston Police Department are members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force sponsored by the Attorney General to investigate such crimes.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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