Lake Charles man arrested on human trafficking charges

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LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office arrested a Lake Charles man Wednesday on human trafficking charges involving a 16-year-old runaway from Houston, authorities said.

Mark A. Cook, Jr., 26, a registered sex offender, was arrested on charges of human trafficking, pandering, and violating sex offender registration, said Kim Myers, sheriff's office spokeswoman.

Houston Police Department vice detectives called the sheriff's office vice detectives with information that a 16-year-old Houston runaway's cellphone pings indicated she was using a phone at a Lake Street hotel.

Using an undercover agent, vice detectives set up a "prostitution deal" with the girl, Myers said. The agent met up with the girl at the hotel and detained her.

"The juvenile confirmed her identity and was able to give a clothing description of her 'pimp,' Cook," Myers said in a news release. "Detectives were able to locate Cook near the side exit of the hotel and placed him under arrest without incident."

Cook admitted to detectives that he picked up the girl in Alexandria, and brought her back to Lake Charles to "'pimp' her out,' Myers said.

"The juvenile told detectives that Cook had contacted her on June 16, and asked her if he could come pick her up. She also told detectives that when they returned to Lake Charles, she set up two prostitution deals and Cook demanded she give him the money," Myers said.

Cook, who was convicted of carnal knowledge of a juvenile in 2012, was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center. His bond is set at $350,000.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges may follow.