Louisiana police Lt. accused of paying for sex in South Dakota

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A Louisiana State Police lieutenant has been put on administrative leave after being arrested in South Dakota for allegedly paying a prostitute.

The 20-year department veteran was in Rapid City for a work-related conference when he was arrested about 3 a.m. Tuesday on the misdemeanor charge of “hiring for sexual activity,” according to a state police news release.

State police said Thursday that they don’t know whether the lieutenant has an attorney who could speak for him. He is assigned to the Transportation Safety Services/Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section.

It’s standard procedure to put officers being investigated on administrative leave with pay.

The news release said the sheriff’s office in Pennington County, South Dakota, has turned the case over to the Pennington County States Attorney’s Office.