73-year-old South MS man accused of trying to buy baby girl, authorities say
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- Washington Parish deputies arrested 73-year-old Howell Penton after an undercover sting.
- Prosecutors charged him with sale of a minor and set bond at $200,000.
- Auction-house owners cooperate with investigators as the probe continues.
A man from South Mississippi was arrested last weekend after authorities in Louisiana accused him of trying to buy a baby girl.
Howell Gene Penton, 73, was jailed this week in Washington Parish, about an hour northwest of his home in Picayune.
The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office accused him of asking a woman if he could buy her 10-month-old daughter at an auction house in Angie, Louisiana.
Authorities in Washington Parish began investigating the case last week and arrested Penton after an undercover operation on Saturday, the sheriff’s office said.
Penton is jailed on a $200,000 bond. He is facing a charge of sale of minor children and could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Owners of the auction house are cooperating with the investigation, which is ongoing, authorities said. The sheriff’s office did not release more information.