Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a man for having sex with an underage girl. Spencer Himel, 19, of Thibodaux faces multiple charges in the investigation.
Through investigation, detectives learned Himel had sex with an underage girl on at least one occasion within the last few months. The two had begun speaking via a social media app, and had several conversations that were sexual in nature. In one conversation, Himel had convinced the girl to have sex with him. Detectives also learned the girl’s mother had become aware of the situation and warned Himel to stay away from her daughter, informing him that the girl was not of consenting legal age.
On March 12, 2019, Himel took the girl from her mother’s home without her mother’s permission. After receiving a call from the girl’s mother, Himel returned the girl to her home but left the scene before deputies arrived.
On March 15, 2019, detectives made contact with Himel regarding the investigation, and he admitted to his involvement. Himel was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. He was charged with Simple Kidnapping, Felony Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile, and Computer-aided Solicitation for Sexual Purposes. His bail is set at $15,000.
Due to the nature of the allegations, no further information on the crime or the victim will be made available.
Sheriff Webre again encourages parents to take an active role in their children’s lives, especially when it comes to smartphone usage and social media. “Parents must constantly monitor what their children are doing online,” said Sheriff Webre. “You must talk with your children about the dangers of online predators and be sure you have access to all their accounts. If you are going to allow your children to be on social media, take the time to learn how to use it yourself so you can understand all the ways your child might hide something from you.”
For more information on the dangers of cybercrime including tips for parents, please visit www.LPSO.net/Cybercrime.
