Mom Brought Her Baby To Auction House — Then Man, 73, Allegedly Made Her an Offer
NEED TO KNOW
- Howell Gene Penton, 73, is charged with sale of minor children in Louisiana
- Authorities allege Penton approached a woman at an auction house and attempted to purchase her baby
- Penton is being held in jail on $200,000 bond
A Louisiana senior citizen is facing charges after allegedly attempting to buy a baby from her mother.
Howell Gene Penton, 73, of Picayune, Miss., is charged with sale of minor children in Washington Parish, La., in connection with the alleged purchase attempt.
The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office alleged in a press release that Penton approached a woman at the Angie Auction House in the village of Angie, about 85 miles north of New Orleans, and asked if he could purchase her 10-month-old baby girl.
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The investigation began on Nov. 26, the sheriff’s office reported, and three days later, the sheriff and Angie police conducted an undercover sting operation that ended in Penton’s arrest without incident.
Penton is being held at the Washington Parish Jail in Franklinton on a $200,000 bond, according to court records. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
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