St. Tammany News

A single mother of a 6-month-old baby fell victim to an alleged Internet predator Sunday night in an attempted rape in Covington.

According to Covington Police Department spokesman Lt. Jack West, the 24-year-old woman met her alleged attacker through Craig's List, a site for selling things and meeting people. He was able to find her personal information and called her. He told her he couldn't sleep because there were too many guests at his residence. She then offered him, "an Internet friend," a place to sleep, according to West.

Goldstein

When the man arrived, West said, he was wearing a purple satin shirt, black trousers, a large purple cape and a purple top hat. His entire upper body was sprayed with pink body paint and glitter.

West said the man had a suitcase of whips, chains, a large vibrator and handcuffs. He also brought a large tank of nitrous oxide and some marijuana.

West said the woman told police he became very aggressive and attacked her, ripping her clothes off. He allegedly forced the victim to smoke marijuana and inhale nitrous oxide. She complied, hoping to calm the man.

West said she was able to flee the residence after several rape attempts and called police on her cell phone.

When police arrived at the scene, West said they made certain the woman and child were safe, then searched the man's vehicle.

West said the police found the truck packed with hay, two hula-hoops and a whip. Police turned the canister of nitrous oxide over to the Louisiana State Police Hazardous Materials Unit to be disposed of.

The man, Lawrence Goldstein, 40, 1020 St. Claude St., New Orleans, was arrested and charged with one count attempted rape, one count of false imprisonment (several times he held the victim down), and one count of possession of a dangerous chemical substance.

Goldstein's bond was set at $17,000, and he was released from St. Tammany Parish Jail.

West said this is a classic case of "be careful." He said Internet predators are "very good at what they do," adding many cases go unreported because nothing happens, even though the person will misrepresent himself on line, claiming to be younger than they are.

Although warnings are given to teenagers using the Internet about predators, adults can be vulnerable as well.

Caution should be used in Internet chat rooms, regardless of your age, West said.