Attorney General Liz Murrill's Cyber Crime Unit has arrested two individuals from Covington for crimes against children. The arrests were made on April 11, 2024, by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.
Randolph Wesley Burge Jr., born on December 16, 1978, was apprehended for violating several laws: "L.R.S. – 14:81 – Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile," "L.R.S. – 14:81.3 – Computer Aided Solicitation of a Minor," and "L.R.S. - 14:130.1- Obstruction of Justice."
Karam Kamel Abdalbaqi, born on June 12, 1998, was also taken into custody for violating "L.R.S. – 14:81 – Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile" and "L.R.S. – 14:81.3 – Computer Aided Solicitation of a Minor."
These arrests resulted from a joint undercover chat operation involving multiple agencies including Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Mandeville Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Additionally, a third man was arrested during the operation; however, that case was handled separately by the Covington Police.
Both Burge Jr. and Abdalbaqi are currently held at the St. Tammany Parish Jail.