The Bay County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 36-year-old Jeffrey Alan Howard for sexually abusing a four-year-old child in Louisiana following a multi-agency effort after fleeing Bay County.
On July 31, 2026, Bay County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of the sexual abuse of a four-year-old female. Investigators with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division – Crimes Against Children, were called to assist with the investigation.
The child was subsequently interviewed at the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, where investigators developed probable cause to charge Howard with Capital Sexual Battery.
During the early morning hours of August 1, 2026, investigators traveled to Howard’s residence to take him into custody. Despite repeated attempts to make contact, Howard refused to come to the door. An arrest warrant was subsequently obtained charging Howard with Capital Sexual Battery.
Later that day, investigators learned Howard had left the residence shortly after law enforcement departed and had fled Bay County. Utilizing the Bay County Sheriff’s Office’s FLOCK Safety camera system, investigators were able to identify Howard’s vehicle and provided critical investigative leads that assisted in locating him.
Throughout the investigation, Investigators developed information indicating Howard was in New Orleans, Louisianna.
On August 5, 2026, information regarding Howard’s whereabouts was provided to the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force in New Orleans.
U.S. Marshals Task Force Officers learned Howard had recently checked out of a hotel in the area. After conducting additional investigative work, they located Howard driving his vehicle near Interstate 55 and Louisiana Highway 16 in Amite City, Louisiana. Howard was taken into custody without incident and is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County to face the charge of Capital Sexual Battery.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office extends its appreciation to the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center for their assistance during the investigation and to the U.S. Marshals Service for their swift efforts in locating and apprehending Howard.
