MERIDIAN, Miss. — Meridian police arrested Dennis Palmer on Feb. 18 in what the department called its first arrest under Mississippi’s Grooming of a Child statute, charging him with grooming of a child and procurement of sexual servitude of a minor.
Palmer was arrested with assistance from the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force, the Meridian Police Department said. Bond was set at $1 million, the department said.
The department said the case was investigated by its Human Trafficking/ICAC Unit with support from the Gang Unit, SWAT Team and K-9 Unit. Officials described the arrest as a significant milestone and said it underscores ongoing efforts to protect children and hold accountable those accused of exploiting minors.
The grooming statute was enacted by the state in July 2025. Grooming laws generally target behavior intended to manipulate or prepare a child for sexual exploitation, and agencies that investigate such cases include units focused on human trafficking and Internet crimes against children.
Palmer is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
