Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet announced the arrest of a Houma man on charges stemming from a Child Pornography related investigation. Eric Ball, 53, of Houma, was arrested at his home during a search warrant that was completed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit (SVU), as part of an ongoing investigation being conducted in coordination with the FBI.
The FBI conducted a several months long investigation into Child Pornography, which revealed information linking Eric Ball to media of children under the age of 13, involved in sexual acts. Terrebonne Parish SVU Detectives assisted with the search warrant at a local Houma residence, where Ball was located and taken into custody. The FBI and Terrebonne SVU Detectives are in the process of reviewing evidence seized during the search of the home and believe that additional charges are likely.
During the investigation, Terrebonne SVU Detectives learned that Ball recently served as a substitute teacher at a local Houma school and has a history as an educator in Terrebonne Parish. Terrebonne SVU Detectives are actively investigating Ball, though no incidents have been reported to local authorities prior to his arrest. Ball was later booked at the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex, where he is jailed on no bond.
Sheriff Soignet would like to remind parents of the importance of constantly monitoring what our children are doing on their smartphone, device, or computer. Sheriff Soignet said, “As parents, we must make sure we are talking to our children about all of the safety concerns associated with social media and the internet. It is incredibly important to be vigilant when it comes to our children, and that includes knowing the current passwords, and checking their devices regularly, if not daily. We are the first line of defense when it comes to the safety of our children.”
Sheriff Tim Soignet would like to commend the work of the Terrebonne Parish SVU Detectives thus far in the investigation and would also like to thank the FBI for their assistance in the case. Sheriff Soignet said, “We will continue to aggressively target those offenders that intend to victimize the children of our community. As I’ve said before, I will not tolerate these types of crimes in Terrebonne Parish, and we will do everything in our power to bring these offenders to justice.”
This remains an ongoing investigation, and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call TPSO at (985)876-2500, or information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region at 1-800-743-7433, online at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or via the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices. Tipsters may become eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.00.