An FBI agent who oversaw an investigation into a massive pedophile ring was arrested recently for child sex crimes.
Louisiana investigators found evidence that David Harris, 51, had been committing child sex crimes across three states since 2016.
Harris is being charged with one count each of aggravated crimes against nature and indecent behavior with a juvenile in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.
A court heard his case and issued an indictment in August, which referenced two victims under age 17 and sex crimes that occurred in 2016.
Harris is charged with exposing his genitals to two underage girls on multiple occasions. Harris also had an affair with the mother of one of the girls.
A statement was issued by the Louisiana State Patrol to Army Times regarding Harris’s child sex crimes:
“Harris was arrested in Ascension Parish and booked on charges of Aggravated Crimes Against Nature and Indecent Behavior with Children under the age of 13.”
“Upon release from Ascension Parish Jail, Harris will be booked on outstanding warrants in Orleans Parish for Sexual Battery and Attempted 3rd Degree Rape and warrants in East Baton Rouge Parish for Aggravated Crimes Against Nature, Indecent Behavior with Juveniles, Obscenity, and Witness Intimidation.”
Ketk.com reports:
July 2018 Incident in Tyler
The first interview was conducted with the victim’s mom, who was having an affair with Harris. The warrant states that “she believed that Mr. Harris had exposed his genitals to Taylor on past occasions, both at [her home] in Tyler and Mr. Harris’ residence in Louisiana.” She said that he had been “skinny dipping” in front of her daughter at their Tyler home.
An initial interview with Taylor was scheduled for February 23 of this year, but was canceled because she did not want to talk with investigators. However, she later agreed to an interview on March 23.
Taylor alleged that during a visit by Harris and his family, they were having a pool party at her house. During the party, Taylor said she did not feel well and went to go lay down in her mother’s bedroom.
While there, Harris came into the room and took off his pants and underwear. He then lay down on top of her. Taylor then screamed for Harris’ wife, who was in the kitchen. When she screamed, the warrant says that Harris got up and redressed.
When Harris’ wife entered the room, she told Harris to “leave Taylor alone.” Taylor said Harris “was drunk most of the time” and believed he was intoxicated when he did this to her.
Taylor told investigators she did not tell anyone about what happened at the time, but later disclosed it to a second alleged victim.
July 2019 Incident in Florida
Before Taylor’s in-depth interview with federal investigators, they spoke with a second alleged victim that the warrant just lists as “Child Victim #2.” It states that the second victim is also a teenage girl who is a close friend of Taylor.
The second victim went on a vacation with Taylor and Harris’ family to Florida in July 2019. During the trip, the second victim was swimming in a pool when Harris allegedly stripped naked in front of her and began “skinny dipping.”
Victim #2 only told Taylor about the incident, which is when Taylor revealed what had allegedly happened to her in Tyler the year before.
Text Messages
During the course of the investigation, text messages on Harris’ FBI-issued cell phone were uncovered that showed Taylor’s mom and Harris talking about the incidents for months. Despite not going to the police about the alleged incidents, Taylor’s mom urges him to not be fixated on teenage girls.
Some excerpts from the text messages are listed below:
- “Again nudity to me is like nothing and my wife is totally used to it and my daughters just like ‘You’re fat… put some clothes on.’”
- “[Taylor said] I was a pedophile…
- “Taylor can’t handle a naked p**** and [Victim #2] is scared for life.”
Taylor’s mom replied to the last text message that the incidents were “all behind us.” She also in a later text apologized for bringing the incidents up to him, saying it was “Not a good judgment on my part.”
The warrant also contains a substantial amount of text messages where Harris talks with Taylor’s mom about his attraction to teenage girls.
After the trip to Florida, Harris wrote “I’m kind of glad to be away from vacation. I got tired of all my talking to for being inappropriate and a dirty old man.”
Taylor’s mom responded that he was “a little inappropriate with staring at the teen girls in bikinis.”
Harris was asked what preference he had in women, he answered her, “I mean they have to be in their teens. I’m not a weirdo.” He then wrote, “Unless I move to Kentucky, where 16 is the age of consent.”
Months later, he texted Taylor’s mother to try and show that he was improving on his behavior. When asked about plans for the next vacation, he replied: I just hope we can do some teen bikini volleyball games so I can show my resolve.”
241st District Court Jack Skeen signed the arrest warrant for Harris and set his bond at $1 million. He is still being held in Louisiana and it’s unclear if he will be extradited in the future to face charges in Smith County.
He is currently being held without bond in Louisiana. His attorneys released a statement to The Advocate, a newspaper in Baton Rouge:
“David Harris is a 1992 West Point graduate who has served this country honorably in the Army and the FBI for the past 30 years. There are many facts surrounding this investigation that differ significantly from the narrative law enforcement has disseminated through the media.”
CRAIG MORDOCK AND ELIZABETH CARPENTER, ATTORNEYS FOR DAVID HARRIS