A man identified as Joseph Laird, 36, was arrested in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on February 26, 2026, following an investigation led by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. Laird, a registered sex offender in both Rapides Parish and Beauregard Parish, faces 15 felony counts of pornography involving juveniles.
The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which led to identifying Laird as a suspect. After securing an arrest warrant, agents located him on Minerva Drive in Murfreesboro with assistance from the local police department. Laird was then extradited to Rapides Parish where he was booked into the parish detention center.
His bond has been set at $753,000. The investigation remains ongoing.
This case resulted from cooperation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Unit and the Murfreesboro Police Department.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Louisiana Department of Justice serves as the primary legal office for the state and is led by Attorney General Liz Murrill (official website). The department operates statewide and focuses on protecting constitutional rights while providing legal resources for citizens (official website). It also works to preserve Louisiana’s culture and heritage through its legal work (official website). Attorney General Murrill has taken action against federal overreach in more than 35 cases (official website).