x
Breaking News
More () »

Accused child sex trafficker no longer allowed around schools, children after WWL-TV report

According to hand-written minutes of the court hearing, Williams can't do any coaching, can't visit any schools, can't be employed in any work involving children under 18 and now has a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.

A Terrebonne Parish court placed additional restrictions on an accused child sex trafficker’s travel and access to children this week, based on an exclusive WWL-TV investigation that proved the man was secretly coaching a parish girls’ basketball team and staying with them at a hotel during a tournament.

Derrian Williams, 30, was released on bond and outfitted with an ankle monitor in February 2017 after being charged with child sex trafficking and carnal knowledge of a juvenile, but the terms of his probation as he awaits trial did not restrict his travel. It only prohibited him from making contact with the 16-year-old girl who accused him of having sex with her and demanding she have sex with his “clients” in exchange for transporting her from Mississippi to Houma.

Williams was fired as an assistant girls’ basketball coach at Vandebilt Catholic High School and agreed to no longer coach in the Terrebonne Parish Recreation leagues. But WWL-TV uncovered photo and video proof that Williams had indeed coached TPR's 7- and 8-year-old girls all-star team earlier this year. The station also obtained public records showing the parish paid for Williams to stay at a hotel with the team during a March tournament in Slidell.

The day after the WWL-TV report, TPR Director Sterling Washington resigned. The parish investigated the evidence provided by WWL-TV and implemented new background checks and identification badges for all TPR coaches, officials, volunteers and employees.

Assistant District Attorney Bud Barnes also took action, filing a request in court to have Williams’ bond revoked entirely. Barnes had objected to releasing Williams with an ankle monitor in the first place and complained to Judge George Larke that the private monitoring company tracking Williams’ ankle monitor had not provided any reports to authorities.

Larke denied Barnes’ request to revoke bond and put Williams in jail to await a September trial date. But the judge did impose new restrictions from the bench Monday that would make any future coaching or unsupervised contact with children a violation of his probation. According to hand-written minutes of the court hearing, Williams can’t do any coaching, can’t visit any schools, can’t be employed in any work involving children under 18 and now has a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.

He also can’t travel outside the parish without prior approval of his probation officer, except for employment purposes.

Barnes also said the court ordered the ankle monitoring agency changed to a firm preferred by the court-appointed probation officer.

The parish also demanded repayment from Williams’ father Ryan for the four nights his son stayed at the Slidell hotel. A money order provided to WWL-TV shows the parish received the full $430.68 from Ryan Williams last week.

Before You Leave, Check This Out