Mike Longman was New Orleans's highest paid news reporter and one of the most honored broadcast journalists in the city, in a career highlighted by investigative reporting and frequent crime coverage. Now, however, he is a crime story - the WVUE-TV reporter was arrested Friday, two days after authorities reportedly seized videotapes showing him having sex with boys and young men.
The Associated Press says Longman also was seen using what police think were illegal drugs on the tapes, while drug paraphernalia confiscated from the reporter's home tested positive for cocaine residue.
But Longman plans to plead innocent. He held a short press conference at his attorney's office, the AP says, before he surrendered. "I have never knowingly harmed or hurt anyone," the 43-year-old broadcast journalist says, adding he has taken a leave of absence and would enter an alcohol abuse program.
WVUE vice president of news Keith Esparros called Longman a talented journalist, but added in an official statement on the case that "(a)s a citizen…and especially as a parent, I understand how reprehensible and repugnant these charges are."
Longman is free on $20,000 bond, charged with aggravated crime against nature, carnal knowledge of a juvenile, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of cocaine residue, the AP says. The sex-related charges could get Longman up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The case started Jan. 3, the AP says, when the director of a group home for abused teens told police a 15-year-old resident said he had had sex with Longman.
The Times-Picayune says Longman's arrest followed a raid of his home Jan. 19, when detectives seized 22 videotapes showing males in sexual activity. Police are trying to determine whether or how many are under 17, Louisiana's age of consent, the paper says, adding that "about 50 teens are shown on the tapes having sex with each other and Longman," according to detectives on the case.
Police sex crimes unit commander Lt. David Benelli tells the Times-Picayune the teens appear between ages 15-19, with Longman shown using cocaine in hand with the sex acts on several of the tapes.
Longman has been at WVUE since 1996, when he signed a three-year deal making him the highest-paid news reporter in New Orleans. He had made his reputation as an investigative reporter for WWL, the Times-Picayune says, and became renowned for covering in-depth criminal justice system reports and covering high-profile breaking stories.
The native New Yorker was much honored for his work, which began as a radio reporter in 1980 for WGSO and WWL. He moved to WWL-TV in 1985, the Times-Picayune says, and earned several awards for his work during his 11-year tenure there. His coverage of local crime and the internal affairs of the New Orleans Police Department, the paper continues, earned him the 1995 Media Award from Victims and Citizens Against Crime.
Now he has become a crime story. And not only has Esparros promised balanced and professional coverage of the story, the Times-Picayune says, but Longman himself is encouraging his colleagues to do likewise.
"I have an alcohol problem and I've asked, no matter what happens in the legal process, to put me there as soon as possible," he said at his subdued press conference. "If I could be there tomorrow to start working on my life, I'd be there." Then, addressing his colleagues, he said, "I know for some of you this is probably hard, and I want - I expect -- you to do your jobs. That's what you have to do."
About the charges he now faces, though, Longman said his lack of knowledge of "the specifics" meant he could not really comment further on them.
