AMITE (LA)
The Advocate
By DEBRA LEMOINE
dlemoine@theadvocate.com
Florida parishes bureau
AMITE -- The nine people accused of being part of a child-sex ring operating out of Hosanna Church in Ponchatoula are scheduled to go before a grand jury today in Amite.
Eight of the accused are facing prosecution on child-rape counts, including Hosanna Church pastor Louis David Lamonica, 45, of Tickfaw, his wife and a Tangipahoa Parish sheriff's deputy.
Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards turned over case files to the 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office on Thursday detailing his office's two-month investigation into the alleged abuse, Laura Covington, sheriff's spokeswoman, said.
Edwards was out of the office for a personal commitment Thursday and was not available to comment, Covington said.