US: Man Who Legally Changed Name to ‘Santa Claus’ Arrested in Child S*x Crime Sting Operation

A 75-year-old man in the United States who legally changed his name to "Santa Claus" has been arrested following an undercover child s*x crime sting operation in Louisiana. Police alleged that the man arranged to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy, who was in fact an undercover detective.

The accused, formerly known as George Quigley, was taken into custody in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans, after allegedly sending explicit photographs of himself to the undercover officer during online conversations before arranging an in-person meeting.

Undercover Operation Led to Arrest

According to the Kenner Police Department, investigators confronted the suspect after he arrived at the agreed meeting location. He surrendered without resistance. US: Couple Arrested After Allegedly Grooming 14-Year-Old for S*x in Michigan.

Police said the suspect, who had legally changed his name to "Santa Claus," often dressed as the traditional Christmas figure and posed with children for photographs.

Kenner Police Chief Keith A. Conley said, "All these defendants are a danger to our youth and society, 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." US Shocker: Florida Man Blames 'Rough S*x' After Wife Is Found Dead in Blood-Soaked Home, Arrested.

Accused Faces Child S*x Crime Charges

Authorities said the 75-year-old is facing charges of illegal computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behaviour with a juvenile.

Police said he previously lived in Texas before relocating to the New Orleans area, where he was arrested.

Part of Wider Police Crackdown

The arrest was part of a wider undercover operation targeting suspected online child predators. Kenner Police said 11 suspects were arrested during the operation, while arrest warrants have been issued for 10 additional suspects who had not been been taken into custody at the time of the announcement.

Chief Conley said, "Anyone who uses the anonymity of the internet to exploit children should understand one thing, we are there too. Our investigators will continue to identify these predators, build strong cases, and bring them to justice before they have the opportunity to victimise a child."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 02, 2026 11:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).