Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of an Alabama man for cybercrimes following a joint investigation with the FBI. Landen Westfall, 24, of Athens, Alabama, has been booked on charges including criminal assistance to suicide, indecent behavior with a juvenile, and child pornography.

The investigation began in late October 2025, when juvenile detectives learned of a teenage girl who had sent nude images of herself to Westfall and that he had also encouraged her to harm herself. The two initially interacted online while playing Roblox, an online virtual game that allows multiple players to chat during gameplay. This led to conversations on other platforms and eventually video calls, but Westfall reportedly became verbally abusive and threatening toward her. He allegedly coerced the victim into cutting herself, and he also encouraged her to take her own life on two occasions.

With the help of the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, investigators obtained evidence and a warrant for Westfall’s arrest. He was initially taken into custody on February 9, 2026, in Alabama. He was later transported to Lafourche Parish and booked into the Correctional Complex on two counts of criminal assistance to suicide, 261 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, and 15 counts of pornography involving a juvenile. Bail is set at $750,000.

Sheriff Webre encourages parents to take an active role in the lives of their children, especially when it comes to online activity. “If you are going to allow your child to use the internet or games where they can interact with strangers, you must take an active role in monitoring their activity,” said Sheriff Webre. “Talk with your children about the dangers of online predators and be sure you have access to all their accounts, even games. You must also educate yourself on popular ways that children try to hide information, photos or video on devices. Having such access is not an invasion of your child’s privacy – it’s being a responsible parent.”

“Also remember that things created for kids – such as Roblox – can sometimes be exploited by predators,” said Sheriff Webre. “Just because something is ‘made for kids’ doesn’t mean you should blindly trust it.”

The FBI’s investigation is continuing, and federal charges are pending.

“Crime knows no boundaries, and neither should we. Through strong partnerships and seamless collaboration, we unite to protect our children online and provide our law enforcement partners with the technical expertise and tools necessary to safeguard every community,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Birmingham.  “Together, we are stronger, smarter, and more relentless in our pursuit of justice.”

For more information on the dangers of cybercrime, including tips for parents, please visit www.LPSO.net/Cybercrime.

Landon Westfall