NY sex offender arrested on Morgan City parade route

A convicted sex offender from New York was arrested along a Morgan City Mardi Gras parade route Monday as he tried to sell novelties and candy, Morgan City police said.

--Thomas E. Devaul, 45, Cotten Road, Patterson, was arrested at 7:10 p.m. Monday on charges of distributing candy or gifts on Halloween or other public holiday by sex offenders prohibited, soliciting without a permit, resisting an officer (false information), unlawful presence of a sex offender (St. Mary Parish) and failure to register as a sex offender (St. Mary Parish).

According to the police account, officers were assigned along the Hera Parade route on Monday in the area of Seventh and Marguerite streets.

Officers observed a vendor selling novelty items and candy. Contact was made with the subject to assure that proper permits were obtained, and it was learned the subject did not have a permit. The subject initially provided officers with a false name. He was eventually identified as Devaul.

Upon conducting verification checks on Devaul, it was learned that he was a convicted sex offender out of the state of New York. Louisiana law prohibits him from distributing anything to children during holidays or events such as Mardi Gras.

Officers made contact with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Division because Devaul state that he was staying in their jurisdiction in Patterson.
Investigators verified the information that Devaul was a Tier 3 sexually violent offender out of New York. Devaul failed to register with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office as required by law once he established residency in Patterson, Morgan City police said.

Warrants were prepared by the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office for failure to register as a sex offender and unlawful presence of a sex offender.

Devaul was arrested and transported to the Morgan City Jail where he was booked and processed.

New York has three classifications for sex offenders based on an evaluation of the likelihood of a repeat offense. Tier 3 is the level of highest risk, and requires sex offender registration for life.