New Orleans, LA - The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Task Force New Orleans in partnership with the New Orleans Police Department, LA State Police, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, LA Probation and Parole, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office have just completed Operation NOLA Saints and Sinners 2019, a sex offender fugitive enforcement and sex offender compliance action in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes. Crimestoppers GNO also provided critical assistance during the operation. Sixty nine (69) arrests were made as a part of the operation as well as the recovery of two firearms with one being on the person of a convicted felon, who was on active LA Probation and attempted to flee. The second firearm, which was reported stolen was located on the associate of the convicted felon and the weapons were recovered in the area of the 1800 block of Aubry St. New Orleans, LA with critical assistance from the New Orleans Police Department. Approximately 5.6 grams of methamphetamine was also seized from an associate of a federal fugitive sex offender during another case in the Central Business District where the sex offender was also alleged to be engaged in large amounts of credit card fraud in the New Orleans metro area. LA State Police Gaming Division assisted in that investigation.
A missing/endangered New Orleans 16 year old runaway was also recovered during the operation in early September as well as four other missing/endangered runaways during the course of the operation. During one April 2019, recovery of a missing/endangered 15 year old girl two additional firearms were seized in the 2400 block of Robert E. Lee in New Orleans with support from New Orleans Police Department, LA State Police and the FBI New Orleans Field Office. One of the firearms was in the possession of a convicted felon and had an obliterated serial number and the second firearm was found on an associate of the convicted felon and both adult males were associated with the endangered teen.
The operation began on April 1st and ended on Sept. 14, 2019, and resulted in 242 sex offender compliance checks being conducted as well as the above mentioned arrests. Other highlights of the operation were the investigation and arrest of sex offender and former law enforcement officer Stanley Burkhardt by LA State Police for violations of his sex offender registration. The May 2019 arrests of Dashawn Lynch and Derrick Anthony Paul Jones on a New Orleans Police Department warrant for the alleged rape of a 13 year old Jefferson Parish runaway was also accomplished as part of the operation with both suspects being located working at a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
U.S. Marshal Scott Illing stated, the operation was a success as it relied on the partnership between all of the state and local agencies that participated. Our state and local partners spent many nights and weekends working the operation. Two noncompliant sex offenders were located and arrested living near schools in New Orleans, LA with one living less than 25 yards from an elementary school. The work done in this area helps to reduce future sex crimes. I would like to thank all of our partner agencies for their commitment to making the New Orleans metro area safer.
U.S. Marshals Task Force New Orleans is currently still committed to looking for two sex offender fugitives.
Jeremiah Shawn Prater (African American male, 31 years of age, 5’09" 160-175 lbs.) is still wanted on three Orleans Parish felony warrants related to his sex offender registration and LA Probation. He still has ties to the New Orleans metro area as well as the state of Georgia.
Prater was convicted in Caddo Parish, LA in February of 2017 of Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and law enforcement records indicate that the female victim was 16 years of age with Prater being 27 years of age at the time of the offense. Prater also has a history of domestic battery as well as battery on police and resisting arrest. Prater is listed by law enforcement with “violent tendencies" and should be considered dangerous. (Jeremiah Prater was Apprehended on Nov. 14, 2019)
Kendrick Dimitri Perkins (African American male, 19 years of age, 5’05" 140 lbs.) is wanted by the New Orleans Police Department for felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Law enforcement records indicate that his original 2018 Orleans Parish sex based conviction, Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile, involved the alleged rape of a 12 year old girl. Perkins is also wanted for LA Probation Violations related to his original conviction. He was last known to frequent the 1900 block of New Orleans St. Perkins should be considered armed and dangerous and two firearms have already been recovered off of associates during the fugitive hunt for him.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at (504) 589-6872, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1 (800) 336-0102, or submit a tip using USMS Tips. Crimestoppers GNO may also be contacted with tips at (504) 822-1111.
