Man pursuing minor arrested in Hanna City

By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post

HANNA CITY – A Louisiana man suspected of pursuing a juvenile for sex was arrested in Hanna City following a two-day search.

Rusty P. Barrilleaux, 39, of New Iberia was taken into custody about 8 a.m. Sunday near Murphy Road and Carole Avenue, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. He admitted he was attempting to meet a minor.

On Tuesday, Peoria County Circuit Court Judge Mark Gilles ordered Barrilleaux detained until his arraignment June 26. He was charged with solicitation to meet a child, distributing harmful material to a minor and two counts of indecent solicitation of a child.

Barrilleaux first was spotted in Hanna City on May 24, authorities stated. He was dressed in camouflage, running through yards near Lakeshore Drive and yelling that someone was trying to kill him.

According to the sheriff’s office, Barrilleaux had been communicating in a sexual manner on an online dating application with someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy. Barrilleaux arranged to meet that person and take him camping.

When it came time to meet, the juvenile turned out to be an adult. He confronted Barrilleaux, who fled on foot.

Lakeshore Drive is a few blocks from where Barrilleaux was apprehended. Deputies searched that area and found a backpack near the lake. The backpack contained an Oklahoma identification card that matched Barrilleaux’s description.

Acting on a tip, a K-9 deputy discovered smoke rising from woods Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the dog tracked down Barrilleaux. He had established a campsite, where deputies found a laptop computer that contained evidence of his conversations with the pretend juvenile.

Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins told The Weekly Post that Barrilleaux apparently was staying with someone in Hanna City, although he was moving frequently.

“This is a good reminder to monitor your children’s activity online and which apps they are using,” Watkins said in a statement. “There are a large (number) of online predators across the country, trying to make contact with our children, and some will go to great lengths to meet with them in person.”