73-Year-Old Charged After Allegedly Offering To Buy Baby At Louisiana Auction

08:24 AM, 12/05/2025

A 73-year-old man, Howell Gene Penton of Picayune, Miss., was arrested in Washington Parish after deputies say he approached a mother at the Angie Auction House and asked to buy her 10-month-old daughter. The investigation began Nov. 26 and an undercover sting three days later led to his arrest without incident on Nov. 29. Penton is charged with sale of minor children and is held on a $200,000 bond in Franklinton; his plea status and legal representation were not immediately available.

Man Arrested After Alleged Attempt To Buy Infant At Auction

Authorities say Howell Gene Penton, 73, of Picayune, Mississippi, has been charged in Washington Parish, Louisiana, after allegedly attempting to purchase a 10-month-old girl from her mother at a local auction house.

According to a release from the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies allege Penton approached the mother at the Angie Auction House in the village of Angie — about 85 miles north of New Orleans — and asked if he could buy her baby. The office describes the matter as an alleged attempt to buy a minor.

The investigation reportedly began on Nov. 26. Three days later, sheriff's deputies and Angie Police conducted an undercover sting operation that resulted in Penton's arrest on Nov. 29 without incident.

Court records show Penton is being held at the Washington Parish Jail in Franklinton on a $200,000 bond. He has been charged with sale of minor children. It was not immediately clear whether he has entered a plea or retained legal counsel. Authorities have not released further details about the mother's or child's condition.

Note: All allegations are from law enforcement statements and the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

73-Year-Old Charged After Allegedly Offering To Buy Baby At Louisiana Auction

Man Arrested After Alleged Attempt To Buy Infant At Auction

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