Fort Lauderdale officer sent sexual chats to a child. It was actually a cop, BSO says
A Fort Lauderdale police officer, who works side jobs at Broward Catholic schools, was arrested and charged with having sexual conversations with someone he thought to be a child, deputies say.
On Tuesday, Minnesota officers informed Broward County Sheriff’s Office detectives that they had an active investigation into a Fort Lauderdale officer engaging in online chats with an undercover detective posing as a minor, BSO said.
BSO detectives found Officer Louis Walsh, 29, to be the man in question. On at least two occasions, Minnesota authorities said he had sexual discussions with the undercover detective, who Walsh thought was a young girl.
In one instance, he sent naked pictures of himself, authorities said. He was arrested Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and charged with two counts of transmission of material harmful to a minor.
In a statement, FLPD said:
“This is a difficult situation for everyone involved. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is shocked and disappointed to learn of the arrest of one of our officers.
After an investigation by the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), Louis Walsh was taken into custody on Wednesday. The details surrounding these allegations are very difficult to hear and do not reflect the character and professionalism expected of the men and women of this agency.
Walsh has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of a criminal investigation. This investigation will be handled by the BSO and we encourage anyone who may feel victimized by this individual to immediately contact them 954-888-5290.”
Walsh had worked with FLPD for five years.
BSO detectives have also learned that Walsh worked special security details at Cardinal Gibbons High School, where he was an assistant wrestling coach, and St. Anthony Catholic School, an elementary school.
The Archdiocese of Miami confirmed that Walsh worked on traffic details and supervised the students at both schools. But a spokeswoman with the archdiocese noted that as of Wednesday, Walsh was terminated from his role as an assistant coach.
“The Safe Environment Office and the Superintendent of Schools encourage parents to review with their children the ‘Teaching Boundaries Safety’ lessons taught in Catholic Schools, and be aware of any suspicious activity on laptops, cell phones, IPads, or desktops,” the Archdiocese of Miami added in the statement.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 5:32 PM.
%20Cropped%20(2).jpg)