Louisiana AG Vows to Crack Down on Digital Predators as Tip-Offs Surge

Liz Murrill says her office is investigating more runaway cases as potential human trafficking, opening up resources statewide to solve cases faster.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:04pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a smartphone or laptop screen showing a law enforcement evidence tag, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the gritty, investigative nature of the digital crimes being uncovered.The Louisiana Attorney General's office is overwhelmed by a surge in cyber tips related to digital predators and human trafficking, exposing the urgent need for more resources to investigate these cases.Baton Rouge Today

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says her office is now investigating some runaway cases as potential human trafficking, opening up resources statewide and beyond to solve cases more quickly. The change comes as cyber tips to the office have surged, jumping from 13,000-15,000 two years ago to more than 30,000 last year, and on track to reach 90,000-100,000 this year.

Why it matters

The rise in tips highlights the growing threat of digital predators targeting minors, with the state reporting 1,819 juveniles aged 17 and under as being sex-trafficked in Louisiana in 2025. Murrill says the office can't afford to not treat these cases as human trafficking events.

The details

In one week this year, from March 30 to April 5, there were 333 cyber tips sent to the attorney general's office. Since Jan. 1, there have been 20,896 tips, 39 victims positively identified and 20 rescued this year alone. The attorney general's office is exploring avenues to secure additional federal grant funding and petitioning the Legislature for more funding to address the surge in cases.

  • Two years ago, the office received between 13,000 and 15,000 tips.
  • Last year, the number jumped to more than 30,000 tips.
  • This year, the office has already received more than 20,000 tips and is on track to reach 90,000 to 100,000 tips.

The players

Liz Murrill

The Louisiana Attorney General who says her office is now investigating more runaway cases as potential human trafficking.

Michael Jay

A truck driver who was arrested for allegedly taking a teen girl from her home in Zachary, Louisiana.

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What they’re saying

“I think, you know, given the number of tips that we receive now through NICMIC, through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we can't afford to not treat these cases as human trafficking events because we've seen over and over again that they are.”

— Liz Murrill, Louisiana Attorney General

“They went right to the truck stop that we located the vehicle at and apprehended the suspect, and found the victim right there.”

— Darryl Lawrence

What’s next

The attorney general's office is exploring avenues to get more federal grant money and petitioning the legislature for more funding to address the surge in cases and hire more investigators and analysts.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of digital predators targeting minors, with a surge in cyber tips to the Louisiana Attorney General's office. It underscores the need for more resources to investigate these cases and rescue victims of human trafficking.