A 75-year-old New Orleans man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus was arrest over the weekend during an undercover sting operation targeting online child predators, according to police.
Claus, formerly known as George Quigley, was taken into custody in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner after allegedly arranging an in-person meeting with a detective posing as a 15-year-old boy, according to a statement by Kenner Police posted on social media. He faces counts of illegal computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told The Guardian that Claus also sent explicit, exposed photographs of himself to the undercover officer during their digital interactions. When Claus arrived at the designated meeting location, investigators confronted him and he surrendered without resistance, police said.
Records show that Claus lived in Texas before relocating to Louisiana.
The Kenner Police Department said in a statement that the suspect’s physical appearance mirrored the traditional Christmas figure. Investigators found images of the 75-year-old posing as Santa Claus for photo opportunities.
According to police, the suspect explicitly discussed engaging in sexual acts through a dating application with an individual he believed was below the legal age of consent.
The arrest was part of a broader weekend operation conducted by the Kenner Police Department’s cybercrimes division. Claus was one of 11 suspects apprehended during the sweep.
“All these defendants are a danger to our youth and society,” Conley said. “We preach daily about the vulnerability of our children on social media and gaming platforms and now we have arrested a person who dresses up as Santa Clause inviting parents to drop their young children in his lap for photo ops, this is a cautionary tale to parents and guardians.”
Authorities said they had secured warrants for an additional 10 suspects who were not immediately caught. Charges against the other individuals in the operation include computer-aided solicitation of a minor, indecent behavior with a juvenile and criminal grooming behavior.
Claus remained in custody as of Tuesday morning, according to jail records. Bail information was not immediately available.
