David Fail, Child Sex Offenses, Louisiana 2026

Former Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Sex Offenses

LAFAYETTE, LA – In a significant victory for law enforcement and the community, David Fail, a 43-year-old former Abbeville resident, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for transporting and possessing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

A federal jury convicted Fail in August 2025. The sentencing took place on February 26, 2026.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fail had a history of child sex offenses, having been convicted of possessing and receiving child pornography in 2006 and for sexually exploiting a minor in 2013.

Law enforcement agents identified Fail through his use of unique internet protocol addresses and information from the State of Louisiana’s State Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry, following a cybertip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip revealed that Fail had uploaded over 100 files containing CSAM to an online, cloud-based storage account.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in the case, stating, “Recidivist child sex predators are among the most dangerous people in our society, seeking out and victimizing our children to satisfy their own sick desires.” Keller emphasized that law enforcement will continue to track down these predators and bring them to justice.

Fail’s case was investigated by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations, and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon II and former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case, with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.

A copy of the press release can be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information can be accessed on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 6:24-CR-00050-001.

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