Lake Charles Teen Indicted for 'Swatting,' Stalking Girl's Family, Conspiring with Hate Group

Federal prosecutors say 19-year-old Carter Miles Ledoux also possessed child pornography

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A 19-year-old from Lake Charles, Louisiana has been indicted on several federal counts after allegedly stalking and 'swatting' an underage girl and her family, conspiring with an extremist group to do so, and possessing child pornography. Ledoux and his Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group reportedly targeted the girl's family after she posted support for interracial relationships on social media.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing threat of extremist groups targeting vulnerable individuals, especially minors, and using harassment tactics like 'swatting' to terrorize families. It also underscores the need for stronger measures to combat the spread of hate speech and extremism online, as well as the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The details

According to the indictment, Ledoux and his NVE group found the girl and her family's contact information and location, and used anonymizing internet services to send threatening texts. They also 'swatted' the girl's family home by placing a hoax call to law enforcement claiming there were pipe bombs and someone would be killed. After arresting Ledoux, authorities found child sexual abuse material on his smartphone.

  • On February 18, 2026, a federal grand jury in Lafayette returned two indictments against Carter Miles Ledoux.
  • The alleged stalking, threats, and 'swatting' incident occurred after the girl posted support for interracial relationships on social media.

The players

Carter Miles Ledoux

A 19-year-old from Lake Charles, Louisiana who has been indicted on federal charges related to stalking, threatening, and 'swatting' an underage girl and her family, as well as conspiring with an extremist group and possessing child pornography.

Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group

An extremist group that Ledoux allegedly conspired with to target the girl and her family, engaging in criminal acts to further 'political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing chaos, destruction, and social instability.'

Jonathan Tapp

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office, who stated that 'The FBI will not abide threats to children' and that 'Nihilistic Violent Extremists terrorize families every day, and those perpetrators should know that we are working diligently with our partners to find, investigate, and prosecute them.'

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What they’re saying

“The FBI will not abide threats to children. Nihilistic Violent Extremists terrorize families every day, and those perpetrators should know that we are working diligently with our partners to find, investigate, and prosecute them.”

— Jonathan Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office (wafb.com)

What’s next

Ledoux is currently in federal custody and is expected to face trial on the charges related to stalking, threatening, and 'swatting' the girl and her family, as well as the child pornography possession charges.

The takeaway

This case underscores the urgent need to address the growing threat of extremist groups targeting vulnerable individuals, especially minors, through harassment tactics like 'swatting' and the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. It highlights the critical role of law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting these crimes to protect families and communities.